As an adjective, it describes something or someone from Japan, such as Japanese food or Japanese culture. As a noun, it can mean the language spoken in Japan or a person from Japan.
Formed in English from “Japan” plus the adjective/noun-forming suffix “-ese,” which was borrowed from French and used for nationalities and languages. The base name “Japan” itself came through European versions of a Chinese name for the country. Over time, “Japanese” became the standard English term.
The “-ese” ending shows up in words like “Chinese,” “Vietnamese,” and “Japanese,” all built the same way in European languages. Japanese writing is a mix of Chinese characters (kanji) and two native syllabaries (hiragana and katakana), which makes it one of the most visually complex major writing systems. So the single word “Japanese” hides a layered language story inside it.
Descriptions of 'Japanese' people and culture have often relied on gendered stereotypes, such as the submissive woman or overworked male salaryman, which distort real diversity of roles and identities. Linguistic features of Japanese (e.g., gendered first-person pronouns, sentence endings) have also been misused to caricature gender roles.
Avoid gendered or sexualized stereotypes when using 'Japanese' as an adjective for people or culture. Specify roles and identities without assuming traditional gender norms.
Japanese women have been influential in literature, film, science, and social movements; highlighting their work challenges narrow gendered images of 'Japanese' identity.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.