日本

See also: 𪰐

Chinese

		day; sun; date day; sun; date; day of the month; Japan (abbrev.)	origin
simp. and trad. (日本)		日	本
anagram		本日
Literally: “the sun's origin; where the sun originates”.

Etymology

This appellation comes from imperial correspondence between the Chinese Sui Dynasty and Japan, and refers to the eastward position of Japan relative to China.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): Rìběn

  (Zhuyin): ㄖˋ ㄅㄣˇ

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): Жыбын (Řɨbɨn, III-II)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): jat⁶ bun²

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): ngit⁵ bon²

• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): Ngi̍t-pún
• Jin (Wiktionary): reh⁴ beng²
• Min Dong (BUC): Nĭk-buōng
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): Ji̍t-pún / Li̍t-pún

  (Teochew, Peng'im): rig⁸ bung²

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Shanghainese): ⁸zeq-pen

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Rìběn
    • Zhuyin: ㄖˋ ㄅㄣˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Rìhběn
    • Wade–Giles: Jih⁴-pên³
    • Yale: R̀-běn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Ryhbeen
    • Palladius: Жибэнь (Žibɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐ̩⁵¹ pən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: Жыбын (Řɨbɨn, III-II)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʐ̩⁴⁴ pəŋ⁵¹/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jat⁶ bun²
    • Yale: yaht bún
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jat⁹ bun²
    • Guangdong Romanization: yed⁶ bun²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐt̚² puːn³⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: ngit⁵ bon²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡit̚³² pᵘɔn⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Ngi̍t-pún
    • Hakka Romanization System: ngid bun`
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ngid⁶ bun³
    • Sinological IPA: /ɲit̚⁵ pun³¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: reh⁴ beng²
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ʐəʔ²⁻⁴⁵ pə̃ŋ⁵³/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: Nĭk-buōng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nˡiʔ⁵⁻³³ puoŋ³³/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Zhangpu, Kaohsiung, Penang, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ji̍t-pún
    • Tâi-lô: Ji̍t-pún
    • Phofsit Daibuun: jidpuon
    • IPA (Penang): /d͡ʑit̚⁴⁻³ pun⁴⁴⁵/
    • IPA (Singapore): /d͡ʑit̚⁴³⁻²¹ pun⁴²/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ʑit̚⁴⁻³² pun⁴¹/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /d͡ʑit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ pun⁵³/
    • IPA (Zhangpu): /d͡ʑit̚¹⁴⁻³³ pun⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Jinjiang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Li̍t-pún
    • Tâi-lô: Li̍t-pún
    • Phofsit Daibuun: lidpuon
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /lit̚²⁴⁻² pun⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /lit̚⁴⁻³² pun⁵³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: rig⁸ bung²
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ji̍k púng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /d͡zik̚⁴⁻² puŋ⁵²/
• Wu
  • (Shanghainese)
    • Wugniu: ⁸zeq-pen
    • Wiktionary Romanisation: ⁵zeq-pen
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /zəʔ¹¹ pən²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: nyit pwonX

Rime
Character	日	本
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	日 (38)	幫 (1)
Final (韻)	眞 (48)	魂 (55)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open	Closed
Division (等)	III	I
Fanqie	人質切	布忖切
Baxter	nyit	pwonX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ȵiɪt̚/	/puənX/
Pan Wuyun	/ȵit̚/	/puonX/
Shao Rongfen	/ȵʑjet̚/	/puənX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ȵit̚/	/pwənX/
Li Rong	/ȵiĕt̚/	/puənX/
Wang Li	/ȵʑĭĕt̚/	/puənX/
Bernard Karlgren	/ȵʑi̯ĕt̚/	/puənX/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	rì	běn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	jat6	bun2

Proper noun

日本

1. Japan (a country and archipelago in East Asia)

   日本電視劇／日本电视剧  ―  Rìběn diànshìjù  ―  Japanese TV drama

Synonyms

• 11區／11区 (shíyī-qū) (Internet slang)
• 倭 (historical, now pejorative)
• 日本國／日本国 (Rìběnguó) (official)
• 東洋／东洋 (Dōngyáng) (archaic)
• 東瀛／东瀛 (Dōngyíng) (literary, poetic)
• 鄉下／乡下 (hoeng1 haa6-2) (Hong Kong Cantonese, humorous)
• 霓虹 (níhóng) (Internet slang)

 

Derived terms

• 大日本帝國／大日本帝国 (Dà Rìběn Dìguó)
• 小日本 (xiǎorìběn)
• 日本人 (rìběnrén)
• 日本刀 (Rìběndāo)
• 日本化 (rìběnhuà)
• 日本味精——未知數／日本味精——未知数
• 日本料理 (Rìběn liàolǐ)
• 日本暖流 (Rìběn Nuǎnliú)
• 日本箏／日本筝 (Rìběnzhēng)
• 日本腦炎／日本脑炎 (Rìběn nǎoyán)
• 日本血吸蟲／日本血吸虫 (Rìběn xuèxīchóng)
• 日本語／日本语 (rìběnyǔ)
• 日本郵輪——遲早完／日本邮轮——迟早完
• 日本金龜子／日本金龟子 (rìběn jīnguīzǐ)
• 日本銀行／日本银行 (Rìběn Yínháng)
• 日本首相——左騰右騰／日本首相——左腾右腾
• 日本鬼子 (Rìběn guǐzi)

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (日本):

• → Japanese: 日本(にほん) (Nihon); 日本(にっぽん) (Nippon); 日本(じっぽん) (Jippon)
• → Korean: 일본(日本) (Ilbon)
• → Vietnamese: Nhật Bản (日本)

Others (incomplete list):

• → Lao: ຍີ່ປຸ່ນ (nyī pun)
• → Malay: Jepang, Jepun (via Min Nan)
  • → Indonesian: Jepang, Jepun
  • → Dutch: Japan
  • ⇒ Portuguese: Japão
    • ⇒ English: Japan
• → Manchu: ᡰᡳ
  ᠪᡝᠨ (ži ben)
• → Thai: ญี่ปุ่น (yîi-bpùn)
• → Tibetan: ཇི་བེན (ji ben)
• → Wutunhua: reben
• → Zhuang: Yizbwnj

See also

• 日劇／日剧 (rìjù)
• 日語／日语 (rìyǔ)
• 日文 (rìwén)
• 日 (rì) (abbreviation)

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
日	本
に Grade: 1	ほん Grade: 1
nanori	goon

/nitɨpoɴ/ → /nip̚poɴ/ → /niɸoɴ/ → /nihoɴ/

Coined in Japan of Sinic elements, as compound of 日 (nichi, “sun”) +‎ 本 (hon, “origin”) and literally meaning "origin of the sun". The hon element was apparently pronounced /poɴ/ when first coined. Over time, the initial /p/ lenited, becoming /ɸ/ as shown in the Nifon entry in the 1603 Nippo Jisho ("Japanese-Portuguese Dictionary"). This then became the /h/ sound in modern Japanese.

In older texts, this was read as kun'yomi as 日の本 (Hinomoto). The on'yomi readings Nippon and Nihon became more common in the Heian period, with both persisting into modern use. The Nihon reading appears to be the most common in everyday Japanese usage.

This may be related to the famous letter from Prince Shōtoku to Emperor Yang of Sui sent via the Japanese mission to Sui China in 607, wherein we see the first mention of Japan as the Land of the Rising Sun, and a description of China as Land of the Setting Sun:

日出處天子致書日沒處天子無恙云云 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

---

日出处天子致书日没处天子无恙云云 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

rì chū chù tiānzǐ zhìshū rì méi chù tiānzǐ wúyàng yúnyún [Pinyin]

...the prince of the land of the rising sun sends a letter to the emperor of the place where the sun sets, for good health and so on.

日出處／日出处 (literally “sun + emerge + place”) here refers to Japan, while 日沒處／日没处 (literally “sun + sink + place”) refers to China.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にほ​ん [nìhóꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟ihõ̞ɴ]

• Audio

  (file)

Proper noun

日(に)本(ほん) • (Nihon) 

1. Short for 日本国 (Nihon-koku): Japan (a country and archipelago in East Asia)
   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho (page 463)

     Nifon ニホン (日本) 日本.

2. a surname

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 日(に)本(ほん)一(いち) (Nihon-ichi)
• 日(に)本(ほん)海(かい) (Nihonkai)
• 日(に)本(ほん)語(ご) (nihongo)
• 日(ニ)本(ホン)鹿(ジカ) (Nihon-jika)
• 日(に)本(ほん)時(じ)間(かん) (Nihon Jikan)
• 日(に)本(ほん)式(しき) (Nihon-shiki)
• 日(に)本(ほん)酒(しゅ) (nihonshu)
• 日(に)本(ほん)中(じゅう) (Nihon-jū)
• 日(に)本(ほん)書紀(しょき) (Nihon Shoki)
• 日(に)本(ほん)食(しょく) (Nihon-shoku)
• 日(に)本(ほん)人(じん) (nihonjin)
• 日(に)本(ほん)刀(とう) (nihontō)
• 日(に)本(ほん)標(ひょう)準(じゅん)時(じ) (Nihon Hyōjunji)
• 日(に)本(ほん)料(りょう)理(り) (Nihon ryōri)
• 北(きた)日(に)本(ほん) (Kita Nihon)
• 西(せい)南(なん)日(に)本(ほん) (Seinan Nihon)
• 大(だい)日(に)本(ほん) (Dai Nihon)
• 東(とう)北(ほく)日(に)本(ほん) (Tōhoku Nihon)
• 西(にし)日(に)本(ほん) (Nishi Nihon)
• 東(ひがし)日(に)本(ほん) (Higashi Nihon)
• 南(みなみ)日(に)本(ほん) (Minami Nihon)

Descendants

• → Translingual: nihonium
  • → Japanese: ニホニウム

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
日	本
にち > にっ Grade: 1	ほん > ぽん Grade: 1
goon

/nitɨpoɴ/ → /nip̚poɴ/

Phonetic variant of Nihon above, maintaining the /p/ sound (likely due to rendaku.)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) にっぽ​ん [nìppóꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟ip̚põ̞ɴ]

• Audio

  (file)

Proper noun

日(にっ)本(ぽん) • (Nippon) 

1. Short for 日本国 (Nippon-koku, “Japan”).
   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho (page 466)

     Nippon ニッポン（日本） Fino moto. (日の本) 日本.

   • 1998 November 30 [1990 November 25], Fujiko F. Fujio, のび太(た)とアニマル惑星(プラネット) (大長編ドラえもん; 10), 22nd edition, volume 10 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 27:

     ぼくらは日本(にっぽん)からきたんだけど…。

     Bokura wa Nippon kara kita n da kedo….

     We’re from Japan, by the way….

     ニッポン？きいたことない。

     Nippon? Kiita koto nai.

     Japan? I’ve never heard of that before.

2. a surname

Usage notes

• Nippon is the official reading of 日本, although Nihon is also acknowledged.
• In everyday conversation, Nihon is more common.
• Politically, Nippon appears to be correlated with right-wing groups, and Nihon with left-wing groups.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 日(にっ)本(ぽん)一(いち) (Nippon-ichi)
• 日(にっ)本(ぽん)語(ご) (Nippongo)
• 日(にっ)本(ぽん)国(こく) (Nippon-koku)
• 日(にっ)本(ぽん)銀(ぎん)行(こう) (Nippon Ginkō)
• 日(にっ)本中(ぽんじゅう) (Nippon-jū)
• 日(にっ)本(ぽん)人(じん) (nipponjin)
• 日(にっ)本(ぽん)刀(とう) (nippontō)
• 大(だい)日(にっ)本(ぽん) (Dai Nippon)

Descendants

• → English: Nippon (noun)
• → French: Nippon (noun), nippon (adjective)
• → Lingua Franca Nova: Nion (noun), nion (adjective)
• → Indonesian: Nippon (noun)
• → Klingon: nIpon (noun)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
日	本
じつ > じっ Grade: 1	ほん > ぽん Grade: 1
kan’on

*/zitʉpon/ → /zip̚pon/ → /ʑip̚pon/

Uses the kan'on reading jitsu for 日, as compared to the goon reading nichi. First appears in texts from the early 1600s, notably the 1603 Japanese-Portuguese dictionary Nippo Jisho. Probably influenced by European-language terminology for the country, such as Portuguese Japão or Dutch Japan, in turn arising from Hokkien 日本 (Ji̍t-pún) via Malay Jepun, or from Teochew 日本 (Ji̍k-púng) via Indonesian Malay Jepang.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) じっぽ​ん [jìppóꜜǹ] (Nakadaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑip̚põ̞ɴ]

Proper noun

日(じっ)本(ぽん) • (Jippon) 

1. (archaic) Japan
   • 1603–1604, Nippo Jisho (page 365)

     Iippon ジッポン (日本) Fino moto. (日の本) 東洋. すなわち、日本.

     [Note:The quoted ii in iippon is the 16th century Portuguese romanization representing [ji].]

Coordinate terms

Coordinate terms

• 皇(こう)国(こく) (kōkoku)
• ジパング (Jipangu)
• ジャパン (Japan)
• 大(だい)東(とう) (Daitō)
• 東(とう)洋(よう) (Tōyō)
• 日(にっ)東(とう) (Nittō)
• 日(ひ)の本(もと) (Hinomoto)
• 瑞(みず)穂(ほ)の国(くに) (Mizuho no kuni)
• 大和(やまと), 倭(やまと) (Yamato)
• 和(わ) (Wa)

Anagrams

• 本(ほん)日(じつ) (honjitsu)

Korean

Hanja in this term
日	本

Proper noun

日本 • (Ilbon) (hangeul 일본)

1. Hanja form^? of 일본 (“Japan”).

Old Japanese

Etymology

The kanji spelling is influenced by 日の本 (pi₁ no₂ mo₍₂₎to₂).

Proper noun

日本 (Yamato₂) (kana やまと)

1. Alternative spelling of 大和 (Yamato₂): Yamato, ancient name of Japan

Derived terms

• 日本武尊 (Yamato₂ Takeru no₂ mi₁ko₂to₂)
• 大日本 (Opoyamato₂)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán in this term
日	本

Proper noun

日本

1. chữ Hán form of Nhật Bản (“Japan”).