Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

japan

/d͡ʒəˈpæn/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.89 in modern English

Syllables
japan
IPA
/d͡ʒəˈpæn/
14
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Lacquerware.

Countable; Uncountable

verb

To varnish (something) with japan.

Transitive verb

verb

To ordain (someone).

British usage; Obsolete; Slang; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

Etymology tree Hokkien 日本 (Ji̍t-pún)bor. Malay Jepangbor. Portuguese Japãobor. ▲ Malay Jepangbor. Dutch Japanbor. English Japan 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”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: Japan, Jepang, 日本, -

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /d͡ʒəˈpæn/
  • British English: /d͡ʒəˈpæn/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce japan?
The recorded pronunciation is /d͡ʒəˈpæn/.
What does japan mean?
A country in East Asia. Capital and largest city: Tokyo.
Where does japan come from?
It is traced to Dutch.

How to pronounce japan

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “japan”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/d͡ʒəˈpæn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “japan”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “japan” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.