Chinese word

日本

Pronunciation

Pinyinrì běn

Meaning

  • nounJapan

Example

我想去日本。wǒ xiǎng qù rì běn

I want to go to Japan.

Illustration for 日本 (Japan)

More examples

我喜欢日本料理。wǒ xǐ huān rì běn liào lǐ

I like Japanese cuisine.

Common phrases

  • 去日本qù rì běn

    go to Japan

  • 日本料理rì běn liào lǐ

    Japanese cuisine

  • 日本人rì běn rén

    Japanese person

Definition in Chinese

由许多岛屿组成的亚洲东部国家。yóu xǔ duō dáo yǔ zǔ chéng de yà zhōu dōng bù guó jiā

Word origin

日本 (rìběn, "Japan") combines the ideas of the sun and its starting point to name the country at the sunrise end of Asia.

Usage tips

  • The Chinese pronunciation rìběn differs clearly from the Japanese forms nihon and Nippon, which helps identify the language being spoken in place names.

Word lists with this word