Japanese

noun

Jap·​a·​nese ˌja-pə-ˈnēz How to pronounce Japanese (audio)
-ˈnēs
plural Japanese
1
a
: a native or inhabitant of Japan
b
: a person of Japanese descent
2
: the language of the Japanese
Japanese adjective

Examples of Japanese in a Sentence

the customs of the Japanese He is learning to speak Japanese.
Recent Examples on the Web Octopus Baja is Delgado’s ode to historic spice trade routes, a Mexican seafood concept at 2731 K St. in midtown Sacramento that is unafraid to draw from Japanese, Peruvian and European cuisines. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 If the test goes well, two more bombs will be deployed in mere weeks to kill hundreds of thousands of Japanese — and, the scientists hope, end the war. Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Wisteria, known as fuji in Japanese, may only be the country's second most famous flower, but thanks to their ability to bend, wisteria can be turned into large tunnels of blue, pink, purple, and white, making for a kaleidoscopic spectacle to stroll among. Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 Visit favorites include the tea ceremony, hina doll display, ikebana flower arrangements, and koto (Japanese zither) performances, along with storytelling and hands-on workshops. Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 Giant Japanese Spider Crab (Macrocheira kaempferi) (Credit: pr2is/Shutterstock) Lurking in the northwestern Pacific Ocean's depths, the Giant Japanese Spider Crab holds the title of the world's largest living crab. Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Though filmed in Vancouver, the vast majority of Shōgun’s spoken lines are in Japanese, delivered by an almost exclusively Japanese cast. Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024 The framework for healing and restitution demonstrated in the compensation and support model for Holocaust survivors, as well as the United States' acknowledgment of the wrongs inflicted upon families in Japanese Internment camps, gave me a lot to work with. Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 But the standout experiences here are found downstairs at Minamo, an eight-seat Japanese Omakase concept, and Colonnade, which offers an elaborate eight-course tasting menu that reimagines French Swiss cuisine. Anna Haines, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Japanese.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Japanese was in 1613

Dictionary Entries Near Japanese

Cite this Entry

“Japanese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Japanese. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Japanese

noun
Jap·​a·​nese ˌjap-ə-ˈnēz How to pronounce Japanese (audio)
-ˈnēs
plural Japanese
1
a
: a person born or living in Japan
b
: a person of Japanese ancestry
2
: the language of the Japanese
Japanese adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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