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

That has led to a selloff in Japanese government bonds and the yen, though prices have stabilized.

From The Wall Street Journal

The last time the Japanese currency weakened to that point was in July 2024, prompting the government to spend huge sums to buy yen and sell dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Japanese media artist behind it told AFP he hoped the audience would consider the dangers posed by artificial intelligence but also feel "pity" for the struggling robot.

From Barron's

His signing comes after the Drua lost several star names to France's Top 14 and the Japanese league.

From Barron's

Industry groups welcomed the move, saying it would help Scottish distillers compete in a crowded market where US, European and Japanese firms are also vying for customers.

From BBC