Japanese word

名目

Pronunciation

Romajimeimoku

Meaning

  • nounname

Example

彼は名目だけの社長です。kare wa mei moku da ke no sha chō de su

He is a president in name only.

Illustration for 名目 (name)

More examples

契約書では、彼女が代表者という名目になっています。kei yaku sho de wa kano jo ga dai hyō sha to i u mei moku ni na tte i ma su

In the contract, she is listed as the representative.

Core concept

Describes the outward label or stated basis attached to something, whether or not it matches the reality behind it.

Common phrases

  • 名目上のmei moku ue no

    nominal

  • 名目だけのmei moku da ke no

    in name only

  • 名目にすぎないmei moku ni su gi na i

    merely nominal

Similar words

名義meigi: The name under which a person acts or an agreement or property is registered.
肩書katagaki: A title or position attached to a person's name.
名称meishō: The official name assigned to a person, place, organization, or thing.
呼び名yobina: A commonly used name for a person or thing.

Definition in Japanese

実質とは別に表向きに掲げる名称・理由・資格など。jis shitsu to wa betsu ni omote mu ki ni kaka ge ru mei shō ri yū shi kaku na do

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound 名目 (meimoku) combines 名 (mei, "name") and 目 (moku, "item" or "heading"), linking a stated label with a formal category.

Usage tips

  • In economic writing, 名目賃金 (meimoku chingin) refers to wages measured in current money, before adjustment for inflation.

Other meanings

  • nominalnoun
  • pretextnoun
  • titlenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 名目的meimokutekinominalna-adjective
  • 名目性meimokuseinominalitynoun

Word lists with this word