Japanese

noun

Jap·​a·​nese ˌja-pə-ˈnēz 

-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

Below, find all of the best deals from Bath & Body Works’ Christmas sale, featuring popular scents like Winter Candy Apple and Vanilla Bean Noel, along with classics such as Champagne Toast and Japanese Cherry Blossom. —Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 13 Dec. 2024

Tomo Japanese Steakhouse 7411 N. Keystone Ave., [phone], tomotogo.com. —Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Dec. 2024

The funds will be allocated to the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities, which Yanai started in 2014 with a $2.5 million gift to the university. —Rana Wehbe Watson, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Here’s the latest on the rest of the top available players: 1 | SP Roki Sasaki The 23-year-old Japanese is expected to be posted in during the winter meetings, which will trigger the start of a frenzied 45-day window for teams to land him. —Jeff Sanders, The Mercury News, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing Japanese

• anti-Japanese
• Japanese andromeda
• Japanese beetle
• Japanese cedar
• Japanese eggplant
• Japanese giant hornet
• Japanese iris
• Japanese lacquer
• Japanese maple
• Japanese millet
• Japanese plum
• Japanese pumpkin
• Japanese quail
• Japanese quince
• Japanese spurge
• non-Japanese
• the Japanese

Kids Definition

Japanese

noun

Jap·​a·​nese ˌjap-ə-ˈnēz 

-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