japan

¹ American  

[juh-pan] / dʒəˈpæn /

noun

1. any of various hard, durable, black varnishes, originally from Japan, for coating wood, metal, or other surfaces.

2. work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner.

3. Japans, a variety of decorative motifs or patterns derived from Asian sources, used on English porcelain of the 18th and 19th centuries.

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adjective

1. of or relating to japan.

verb (used with object)

japanned, japanning

1. to varnish with japan; lacquer.

2. to coat with any material that gives a hard, black gloss.

Japan ² American  

[juh-pan] / dʒəˈpæn /

noun

1. Japanese Nihon, Nippon.  a constitutional monarchy on a chain of islands off the eastern coast of Asia: main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. 141,529 sq. mi. (366,560 sq. km). Tokyo.

2. Sea of Japan, a marginal sea bounded by North Korea, the Far Eastern mainland of Russia, the Russian island Sakhalin, Japan, and South Korea: largely enclosed from the Pacific Ocean and seldom affected by tides.

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Japan. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Japanese.

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Japan ¹ British  

/ dʒəˈpæn /

noun

1. Japanese names: Nippon.   Nihon.  an archipelago and empire in E Asia, extending for 3200 km (2000 miles) between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific and consisting of the main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu and over 3000 smaller islands: feudalism abolished in 1871, followed by industrialization and expansion of territories, esp during World Wars I and II, when most of SE Asia came under Japanese control; dogma of the emperor's divinity abolished in 1946 under a new democratic constitution; rapid economic growth has made Japan the most industrialized nation in the Far East. Official language: Japanese. Religion: Shintoist majority, large Buddhist minority. Currency: yen. Capital: Tokyo. Pop: 127 253 075 (2013 est). Area: 369 660 sq km (142 726 sq miles)

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japan ² British  

/ dʒəˈpæn /

noun

1. a glossy durable black lacquer originally from the Orient, used on wood, metal, etc

2. work decorated and varnished in the Japanese manner

3. a liquid used as a paint drier

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adjective

1. relating to or varnished with japan

verb

1. (tr) to lacquer with japan or any similar varnish

Japan Cultural  

1. Island nation in the northwest Pacific Ocean off the coast of east Asia, separated by the Sea of Japan from Russian Siberia, China, and Korea. The Japanese archipelago includes four major islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku) as well as many smaller islands. Its capital and largest city is Tokyo.

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Discover More

Although a world leader in shipbuilding, electronics, and automobile manufacture, Japan's economy suffered a severe slump during the 1990s.

Called the “Land of the Rising Sun,” Japan is symbolized by a red sun on a white background.

Japan's ports were first opened to Western traders in the sixteenth century but were closed in the seventeenth century. Japan remained in virtual isolation until the 1850s, when an American naval officer, Matthew C. Perry, persuaded the government to reopen trade with the West.

Another symbol (see also symbol) of Japan is Fujiyama, also called Mount Fuji, a volcano whose symmetrical snow-capped peak has been the object of countless pilgrimages, poems, and paintings. It has not erupted since 1707.

Suffering from overcrowding, lack of natural resources, and the influence of powerful military factions, Japan pursued an aggressive policy of expansion in China during the 1930s, ultimately resulting in a military alliance with Germany and Italy to form the Axis powers in World War II. (See also Hiroshima (see also Hiroshima), Pearl Harbor, and Douglas MacArthur.)

Imperial Japan was organized on a feudal system (see feudalism), characterized by the samurai (the warrior class, which eventually became landed gentry) and the shogun (the hereditary administrative leader). The emperor, believed to be divine, was the ceremonial leader. Japan is a constitutional monarchy today.

Other Word Forms

• japanner noun
• unjapanned adjective

Etymology

Origin of japan¹

First recorded in 1605–15; special use of Japan

Origin of Japan²

First recorded in 1570–80 as Giapan; from Malay Jăpung, Japang, from Middle Chinese; Nippon ( def. )

Example Sentences

Shame on anyone who shall try to shame them for that and deny them basic rights. tpng813 Just like how japan denies its massive massacres across china.

From Time • Aug. 13, 2013

The walls, highly painted and glittering with japan, were hung with Chinese pictures in gilded and japanned frames.

From The War Tiger Or, Adventures and Wonderful Fortunes of the Young Sea Chief and His Lad Chow: A Tale of the Conquest of China by Dalton, William

Paint is generally caused to dry rapidly by the use of japan or driers.

From Paint Technology and Tests by Gardner, Henry A.

Amateurs would have spread the japan too thickly in some spots, too thinly in others; but not so these veterans at their trade.

From The Story of Leather by Bassett, Sara Ware

A convenient form in which to handle these pigments is Devoe's "coach colors," ground in japan.

From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William

Related Words

• coating
• glaze
• lacquer
• stain
• varnish