japan
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Japan¹
- /d͡ʒəˈpæn/ Australia, US, UK
- [d͡ʒəˈpɛə̯n] Australia, US, UK
- /d͡ʒəˈpan/ British, Northern England, Scotland
- /d͡ʒəˈpɛn/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -æn
Where it comes from
First attested in English as Giapan in Richard Willes's 1577 The History of Travayle in the West and East Indies (cited in Peter C. Mancall's Travel Narratives from the Age of Discovery, pp. 156–57), translating a 19 February 1565 letter of the Portuguese Jesuit missionary Luís Fróis as "Of the Ilande of Giapan".
Borrowed from Portuguese Japam /Japão with possible influence from Dutch Japan, both from Malay Jepang, from Hokkien 日本 (Ji̍t-pún), from Middle Chinese 日本 (nyit pwon^X, “sun origin”).
With /j/ readings, such as Iaponia /Japonia /Japon /Iapon from possibly Cantonese 日本 (jat⁶ bun²), also from Middle Chinese 日本 (nyit pwon^X, “sun origin”).
Compare also modern Mandarin 日本 (Rìběn), Japanese 日本(にっぽん) (Nippon) / 日本(にほん) (Nihon) (whence English doublets Nippon and Nihon), Korean 일본 (Ilbon) (日本), Vietnamese Nhật Bản (日本).
The earliest form of Japan in Europe was Marco Polo's Cipangu, from some form of synonymous Sinitic 日本國 /日本国 (“Japan state”).
proper noun Giapan · Japonia · Japony · Japon
-
A country in East Asia. Capital and largest city: Tokyo.
Vivian: If you set a picture by Hokusai, or Hokkei, or any of the great native painters, beside a real Japanese gentleman or lady, you will see that there is not the slightest resemblance between them. The actual people who live in Japan are not unlike the general run of English people; that is to s
Similar: Dawnland, JP, JPN, Jap., Japonia, Jpn., Land of the Rising Sun, Nihon, Nippon, State of Japan, Yamato
- An archipelago of East Asia; in full, Japanese archipelago.
japan²
- /d͡ʒəˈpæn/
Rhymes with -æn
Where it comes from
From Japan, due to this varnishing process being an imitation of East Asian processes. Sense “to ordain” in reference to the black clothes worn by the clergy.
noun japans
- A hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt. My own apartment, however, I was allowed to enter; and very pretty, I must say, it is. It is hung with Indian-silk, where the brightest of birds, and the gayest of flowers, disport themselves on a white ground. The screens and dressing-table are of black japan, while the mirror is set in exquisite s
- Lacquerware.
verb japans · japanning · japanned
- To varnish (something) with japan. He fastens his plates by fine srews in any waving or curving lines, and then japans them in all the most varied and beautiful shades.
- To ordain (someone). Jack, hearing that I was in this part of the world, sent me a very hearty letter, informing me, that he had been double-japanned (as he called it) about a year ago, and was the present incumbent of — […]
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: nippon, japanese archipelago, japanese islands, nihon, tokyo, korea, venezuela, uruguay, uzbekistan, manchukuo, italy, asean, sino-japanese, japanese, jap, meiji
Translations
Every language
name a country in East Asia
| Español | Japón, Cipango, Zipango |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 일본 Ilbon |
| 日本語 | 日本, 大和 Yamato, 日の本, 倭 |
| 中文 | 日本 Rìběn |
| हिन्दी | जापान jāpān |
| Kiswahili | Japani |
| Português | Japão |
| Français | le Japon |
| Deutsch | Japan |
| Italiano | Giappone |
| Ελληνικά | Ιαπωνία Iaponía |
| Română | Japonia |
| Русский | Япо́ния Japónija |
| Tiếng Việt | Nhật Bản, Nhật Bổn, Nhựt Bổn, Nhựt Bản |
| العربية | الْيَابَان al-yābān |
| עברית | יַפָּן yapán |
Talk about this word "japan." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/japan. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. japan. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/japan "japan." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/japan.Cite this
@misc{japan_2026,
title = {japan},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/japan},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
