How to pronounce Japanese
Say it like jap-uh-NEEZ. Japanese has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NEEZ).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Japanese. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- jap
- uh
- NEEZ
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Japanese pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- japGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NEEZSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of Japanese
American and British speakers say Japanese in essentially the same way: /ˌdʒæpəˈniz/ in the US and /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/ in the UK.
British respelling: jap-uh-NEEZ.
What does Japanese mean?
- of or relating to or characteristic of Japan or its people or their culture or language“the Japanese Emperor”“Japanese cars”
- a native or inhabitant of Japan
- the language (usually considered to be Altaic) spoken by the Japanese
Words that rhyme with Japanese
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Japanese.
Questions about saying Japanese
How do you pronounce Japanese?
Say jap-uh-NEEZ. The American pronunciation is /ˌdʒæpəˈniz/. In British English it is /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Japanese?
Japanese has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NEEZ). Broken into parts: jap · uh · NEEZ.
Do Americans and Brits say Japanese the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌdʒæpəˈniz/ and the British form is /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.