Japanese

From Japan +‎ -ese.

• IPA^(key): /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːz

Japanese (not comparable)

1. Of, relating to, or derived from Japan, its language, or culture.

   A Japanese saw is one that cuts on the pull stroke rather than on the push stroke.

   In the United States, Japanese animation has had a tremendous surge in popularity over the last few years.

• Nipponic

Japanese (countable and uncountable, plural Japanese or Japaneses)

1. (countable) A person living in or coming from Japan, or of Japanese ancestry.

   A Japanese will typically have black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin.

   • 2007 October 16, Madeleine Brand, “Japan Struggles to Meet Its CO2 Emissions Limits”, Day to Day, National Public Radio,

     Motoyuki Shibata isn’t a typical Japanese.

2. (uncountable) Japanese food.

   Let’s go out to eat. I’m in the mood for Japanese.

3. (uncountable) The main language spoken in Japan.

   I’ve been studying Japanese for three years, and I still can’t order pizza in Tokyo!

As with other nationalities formed with -ese, the countable singular noun in reference to a person (as in "I am a Japanese", "writing about Japanese cuisine as a Japanese") is uncommon and often taken as incorrect. In its place, the adjective is used, by itself (as in "I am Japanese") or with a word like person, man, or woman ("writing about Japanese cuisine as a Japanese person"). However it is rather frequent in East Asia as a translation for the demonym written 日本人 (rìběnrén) in Chinese or 日本人 (にほんじん) (nihonjin) in Japanese.

• (language) Nihongo

• Japan
• wapanese
• Japanophile
• Nipponize
• Jap
• Nihongo (in Japanese)
• Wiktionary's coverage of Japanese terms
• Appendix:Japanese Swadesh list for a Swadesh list of basic vocabulary words in Japanese

• ISO 639-1 code ja, ISO 639-3 code jpn
• Ethnologue entry for Japanese, ja