Japanese
proper noun
- East Asian language
- person who possesses Japanese nationality
- writing system used to express the Japanese language
- person from or inhabitant of Japan, regardless of ethnicity
- person from the country or nation of Japan
adjective
- of, from, or relating to Japan
- in the Japanese language
- of or relating to the Japanese language
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌdʒæp.əˈniːz/
adj
Etymology: Etymology tree Hokkien 日本 /Ji̍t-púnbor. Malay Jepangbor. Portuguese Japãobor. ▲ Malay Jepangbor. Dutch Japanbor. English Japan Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-iskbor. Late Latin -iscus ▲ Vulgar Latin -iscus Latin -ēnsis Old French -eisbor. Middle English -eys English -ese English Japanese From Japan + -ese after the model of earlier Portuguese japonês, New Latin japonensis, French japonais, etc.
- Of, relating to, derived from, or characteristic of Japan, its people, language, or culture.
“A Japanese saw is one that cuts on the pull stroke rather than on the push stroke.”
“In the United States, Japanese animation has had a tremendous surge in popularity over the last few years.”
- Of, relating to, derived from, or characteristic of Japan, its people, language, or culture.
“The Ainu were subject to forced assimilation by the Japanese since at least the 18th century.”
name
Etymology: Etymology tree Hokkien 日本 /Ji̍t-púnbor. Malay Jepangbor. Portuguese Japãobor. ▲ Malay Jepangbor. Dutch Japanbor. English Japan Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-iskbor. Late Latin -iscus ▲ Vulgar Latin -iscus Latin -ēnsis Old French -eisbor. Middle English -eys English -ese English Japanese From Japan + -ese after the model of earlier Portuguese japonês, New Latin japonensis, French japonais, etc.
- A language that is primarily spoken in East Asia and is the official language of Japan.
“I’ve been studying Japanese for three years, and I still can’t order pizza in Tokyo!”
“What Japanese you speak also depends on your gender. There’s a “rough” language for men and a more “ladylike” language for women, but you must understand both.”
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree Hokkien 日本 /Ji̍t-púnbor. Malay Jepangbor. Portuguese Japãobor. ▲ Malay Jepangbor. Dutch Japanbor. English Japan Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-iskbor. Late Latin -iscus ▲ Vulgar Latin -iscus Latin -ēnsis Old French -eisbor. Middle English -eys English -ese English Japanese From Japan + -ese after the model of earlier Portuguese japonês, New Latin japonensis, French japonais, etc.
- A native or inhabitant of Japan.
“2007 October 16, Madeleine Brand, “Japan Struggles to Meet Its CO2 Emissions Limits”, Day to Day, National Public Radio, Motoyuki Shibata isn’t a typical Japanese.”
“[…] the majority of Japanese voted to return the conservative Liberal Democratic Party to power after the 3/11 disaster.”
- A member of the predominant ethnic group of Japan, also found throughout the world in diaspora.
“A Japanese will typically have black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin.”
“[…] 90 percent of Japanese [in Hawaii] voted Democratic (Coffman 2003: 278).”
- Ellipsis of Japanese food.
“Let’s go out to eat. I’m in the mood for Japanese.”