expression, noun
simplified Japanese; easy Japanese
Refers to Japanese that has been simplified in vocabulary, grammar, and structure so that non-native speakers, children, or people with limited Japanese proficiency can understand it. Often used in disaster information, public announcements, and language teaching.
災害時には、やさしい日本語で情報を伝えることが大切です。
During disasters, it is important to convey information in simplified Japanese.
このニュースはやさしい日本語で書かれているので、外国人にもわかりやすい。
This news is written in easy Japanese, so it's easy for foreigners to understand too.
A less common synonym borrowed from English; 「やさしい日本語」 is the standard term.
A modern term coined from やさしい (easy, gentle) and 日本語 (Japanese language). It gained prominence after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake as a way to provide critical information to non-native speakers.