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

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
  adjective
• non-Japanese
  adjective
• pro-Japanese
  adjective
• pseudo-Japanese
  adjective
• quasi-Japanese
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Japanese

First recorded in 1580–90; Japan + -ese

Example Sentences

Pearl Harbor put an end to all that when Hitler foolishly declared war on the United States four days after the Japanese attack.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Exporters got a boost from the yen, which depreciated 7.8% against the dollar in April, making Japanese goods cheaper and more competitive overseas.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Reactive evacuation measures, for example, saved 96% of Japanese inhabitants when the major tsunami struck the Tōhoku coast on March 11 2011.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

Working in Japan’s favor are shareholder-friendly governance reforms in the private sector and increased demand for Japanese services and goods as nations race to revitalize manufacturing and reduce reliance on China.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

The cut of the jacket was clearly influenced by the Japanese kimono.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu