Nippon

American

[nee-pawn, ni-pon, nip-on] / niˈpɔn, nɪˈpɒn, ˈnɪp ɒn /

noun

a Japanese name of Japan.

Nippon British

/ ˈnɪpɒn /

noun

transliteration of a Japanese name for Japan

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Nippon

< Japanese, earlier nit-pon < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese rì sun + běn origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Authorities said there was no hope of finding more survivors of the Tuesday accident at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Nippon Paper Industries said it apologized for the immense concern the incident has caused the community.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Akzo Nobel rejected a joint bid from Sherwin-Williams and Nippon Paint, leading Sherwin-Williams stock to rise.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

According to local media, the Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility was also the scene of a major fire in July 2023, when piles of wood at the site burned for days.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

She explained that Pole Star was a trading vessel but also a warship, accustomed to fighting Siberian and Inuit pirates as it made the icy Pole Run to Nippon.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023