Japanese

American  

[jap-uh-neez, -nees] / ˌdʒæp əˈniz, -ˈnis /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Japan, its people, or their language.

---

noun

plural

Japanese

1. Often Offensive. a native or inhabitant of Japan or a person of Japanese descent.

2. the language of Japan. Japn., Japn

Japanese British  

/ ˌdʒæpəˈniːz /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Japan, its people, or their language

---

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Japan or a descendant of one

2. the official language of Japan: the native language of approximately 100 million people: considered by some scholars to be part of the Altaic family of languages

Sensitive Note

In the past, the word Japanese has been used as a noun to describe a person or people (the store owner is a Japanese ). This usage is dated and often considered offensive today.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Japanese adjectiveanti-Japanese
• non-Japanese adjectivenon-Japanese
• pro-Japanese adjectivepro-Japanese
• pseudo-Japanese adjectivepseudo-Japanese
• quasi-Japanese adjective

Etymology

Origin of Japanese

First recorded in 1580–90; Japan + -ese

Example Sentences

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she has assigned a team of ministers to tackle the shortages, but denied a major shortage, saying Japan still has secured at least four months’ worth of naphtha.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Bachan’s, a Japanese barbecue sauce brand, was acquired in February for $400 million.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

The British rock band Deep Purple met a long-time super fan in Tokyo on Friday - who just happened to be the Japanese prime minister.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

After that moving and unsettling encounter, the woodblock landscapes at Scholten Japanese Art offer an oasis in the middle of the Armory’s busy drill hall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Then they searched for subtle repetitions that would reveal the pattern of the switches that drove the Japanese machine.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield