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

The firms improperly raised prices of popular desserts "several times by 5-10% over the years", according to Japanese broadcaster NHK, citing anonymous sources.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

Summer is coming, a boom time for ice cream makers, but Japanese authorities have raided six major firms on suspicion of colluding to raise prices.

From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026

From bags and bicycles to surfboards and suitcases, the Japanese second-hand market is booming, with quality-conscious buyers in other Asian countries increasingly tapping into the circular economy trend.

From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026

Government bonds in the U.S. and Europe were steady, though Japanese bonds sold off after the Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to a 31-year high of 1%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026

Any material that advocates democracy, exposes wrongdoing by the Japanese military, or contains anti-Japanese sentiment is confiscated.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly