Japanese

American  

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

adjective

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

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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

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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

A tech recovery in the U.S. spurred a rally in Korean and Japanese equities, though European stocks were down at the open after a suite of indexes hit record highs Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal

But a landslide victory in snap elections this month gives the Japanese prime minister a powerful mandate for what she describes as a “responsible, proactive fiscal policy” to remake the economy.

From Barron's

Demand for ‘sleep apnea’ testing equipment manufactured by the Japanese industrial company’s subsidiary could also accelerate as drug therapies gain traction.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The number one thing is the very sizable increase in Japanese, German, non-U.S. bond market yields, such that now those bonds can actually generate a very sizable positive return if you have a recession.”

From MarketWatch

She had never battled the American and Japanese skaters who have taken over the sport while Russia has been banned.

From The Wall Street Journal