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Words Kanji Guides About

日本にほん

also: にっぽん

に

ほ

ん

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

1

noun

The country name; にほん is the everyday reading, while にっぽん is used in formal, official, or emphatic contexts.

日本にほんは島しま国ぐにです。
Japan is an island nation.
にっぽんの代だい表ひょうとして頑がん張ばります。
I will do my best as a representative of Japan.

Written forms

日本Usage97%
- にほん
  Standard kanji spelling; the most common reading is にほん.
- にっぽん
  Alternate reading used in formal contexts, sports chants, and official names; less common in everyday speech.
にほんUsage2%
ニッポンUsage1%
ニホンUsage<1%
にっぽんUsage<1%

Kanji

日day, sun, Japan
本book, present, main

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 日本 (nyit pwonX, literally 'sun origin'), referring to the country's eastern position relative to China. The reading にほん reflects a regular sound change from earlier にっぽん, which is preserved in formal usage.