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

Japanese plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Japanese
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Japanese

First recorded in 1580–90; Japan + -ese

Example Sentences

Just a few weeks ago, a horse died minutes after eating a plant in the park that is poisonous to horses, a Japanese yew.

From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026

In terms of time spent doing housework, however, Japanese men rank the lowest among highly-developed countries.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

The timing was crucial: If the Japanese didn’t agree to push back repayment deadlines, Lynas would be crushed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

The horror classic is a remake of a 1998 Japanese film based off Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

Clouds of smoke rise from the mountains to the south and the east as Philippine demolition squads blast bridges and culverts, hoping to keep the Japanese at bay.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly