any of various hard, durable, black varnishes, originally from Japan, for coating wood, metal, or other surfaces.
work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner.
Japans, a variety of decorative motifs or patterns derived from Asian sources, used on English porcelain of the 18th and 19th centuries.
to varnish with japan; lacquer.
to coat with any material that gives a hard, black gloss.
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.
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.
a glossy durable black lacquer originally from the Orient, used on wood, metal, etc
work decorated and varnished in the Japanese manner
a liquid used as a paint drier
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.
First recorded in 1605–15; special use of Japan
First recorded in 1570–80 as Giapan; from Malay Jăpung, Japang, from Middle Chinese; see origin at Nippon ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Fillers consist of silex or of ground earths mixed with oil, japan, and turpentine.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
A convenient form in which to handle these pigments is Devoe's "coach colors," ground in japan.
From Handwork in Wood by Noyes, William
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
One-half pint japan added to gallon of paint.
From Paint Technology and Tests by Gardner, Henry A.
According to the NHS, external, TBE is a viral infection spread by bites from ticks found in Europe, Russia and parts of China and Japan.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Battles at Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa revealed what an invasion of Japan would cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
The Bank of Japan left interest rates at 1%.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
And he had to acclimate to a culture far from his home in Japan, and to do it with his baseball-mad country following along closely.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
All over Japan, people began to realize that this was not an average event.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
“The hype started in Japan. In Japan there are even cafés where you have contact with capybaras. And the internet helped, and the public is always curious. They want to know about the species.”
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
"We've dealt with Japan. I'm not sure we're going to make a deal. I doubt it," he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2025
“Go to Japan. By the time you get there, probably have a day down. Then be fine by the day before the game.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2025
“I took the risk of coming over here to play instead of just playing in Japan. To achieve this goal is great. Now I’d like to finish off strong in the last three.”
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 29, 2023
“But it won’t be easy. Everybody is very poor in Japan. While you were sleeping, your mother spoke with one of the soldiers. He said you can’t imagine how poor.”
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
His sponges were the ordinary reef sponges and these he would rinse in an old japanned basin, changing the water in the basin only when it became too bloody to return the sponges relatively clean.
From Time Magazine Archive
He lighted the shank of candle in the japanned candlestick and regarded the bed—as spineless as a hammock and covered with a dirty patchwork quilt, the cotton batting spilling from the edges.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Bilston contains numerous furnaces, forges, rolling and slitting mills for the preparation of iron, and a great variety of factories for japanned and painted goods, brass-work and heavy iron goods.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 7 "Bible" to "Bisectrix" by Various
The roof was supported by rows of columns, elaborately sculptured and japanned, which rested upon a pavement of the rarest veined marble, of so high a polish that it reflected the whole interior.
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
With all these insects japanned or silvered pins should be used, or when not too large the insects should be mounted on triangles.
From Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects by Riley, C. V.
In japanning it is best to have the oven at rather a lower temperature, increasing the heat after the work has been placed in the oven.
From Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition For Ironware, Tinware, Wood, Etc. With Sections on Tinplating and Galvanizing by Brown, William N.
Stoves heated by direct fire.—These were, of course, the form in which japanning ovens were constructed somewhat after the style of a drying kiln.
From Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition For Ironware, Tinware, Wood, Etc. With Sections on Tinplating and Galvanizing by Brown, William N.
It must be remembered that the art of japanning was looked upon at one time as an accomplishment, for about the year 1700 many gentlewomen were taught the art.
From Chats on Household Curios by Burgess, Fred. W. (Frederick William)
Pigments suitable for japanning with natural lacquer, 45. —— black, 46. —— blue, 46. —— green, 46. —— red, 46. —— white, 45. —— yellow, 46.
From Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition For Ironware, Tinware, Wood, Etc. With Sections on Tinplating and Galvanizing by Brown, William N.
Hence Birmingham japanned goods wear better than those goods which receive a priming previous to japanning.
From Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition For Ironware, Tinware, Wood, Etc. With Sections on Tinplating and Galvanizing by Brown, William N.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
