# Japanese

/ˌdʒæpəˈniz/ (US) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/japanese
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

the language that people speak in Japan. It can also mean a person who comes from Japan.

For teachers: the language spoken by the people of Japan; also used to refer to a person of Japanese descent or nationality.

## Examples

- I am learning Japanese because I want to visit Tokyo.
- The local community center offers free classes for anyone interested in learning Japanese or calligraphy.
- While the grammar of Japanese is distinct from that of Mandarin, the two languages share a significant number of logographic characters known as kanji.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He speaks a Japanese." but "He speaks Japanese." — When referring to a language, the noun is uncountable and does not take an article.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the language; countable when referring to people, though 'Japanese people' is often preferred in plural contexts to avoid sounding overly clinical.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.