Nihongo (日本語, にほんご) is the Japanese word for the Japanese language. It is what Japanese speakers call their own language, and it is one of the first words a learner meets.
Key takeaways
- Nihongo means "the Japanese language": 日本 (nihon, Japan) + 語 (go, language).
- Say it in four even beats: ni-ho-n-go.
- All three kanji are beginner kanji: 日, 本 and 語 are in our N5 Kanji Map.
- The ending 語 names other languages too: 英語 (eigo) is English and ベンガル語 (bengarugo) is Bengali.
What each part of 日本語 means
| Kanji | Reading here | Meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 日 | に (ni) | sun, day | 4 |
| 本 | ほん (hon) | origin, book | 5 |
| 語 | ご (go) | language, word | 14 |
Put the first two together and you get 日本 (Nihon), the name of Japan. Its kanji read as "origin of the sun", which is where "Land of the Rising Sun" comes from. Add 語 and you have "the language of Japan".
How to pronounce nihongo
Japanese is timed in even beats, so nihongo has four: ni-ho-n-go. The ん is a full beat of its own, and no syllable gets a heavy English-style stress. In standard Japanese the pitch starts low on に, rises and stays level. Our guide to Japanese pronunciation explains these beats with more examples.
Nihon, nihongo and nihonjin
English uses "Japanese" for both the language and the people. Japanese keeps them apart:
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 日本 | Nihon | Japan |
| 日本語 | nihongo | the Japanese language |
| 日本人 | nihonjin | a Japanese person |
Other languages end in 語 too
Once you know 語, you can read the name of almost any language:
| Japanese | Romaji | Language |
|---|---|---|
| 英語 | eigo | English |
| ベンガル語 | bengarugo | Bengali |
| 中国語 | chūgokugo | Chinese |
| 韓国語 | kankokugo | Korean |
Your first sentences with nihongo
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 日本語を勉強しています。 | Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu. | I am studying Japanese. |
| 日本語が少し話せます。 | Nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemasu. | I can speak a little Japanese. |
| 日本語で何と言いますか。 | Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka. | How do you say it in Japanese? |
| 日本語は楽しいです。 | Nihongo wa tanoshii desu. | Japanese is fun. |
The small words を, が, で and は show what each word does in the sentence. Our guide to Japanese particles for beginners covers them next.
How to write it
You will see the same word in three forms: 日本語 in kanji, にほんご in hiragana and nihongo in romaji. Beginner books often use にほんご first, so start with the hiragana chart and move on to the kanji when you are ready.
Common questions
Is nihongo the same as Japanese?
Yes, when "Japanese" means the language. For a Japanese person, the word is 日本人 (nihonjin).
Is it nihongo or nippongo?
日本 can be read Nihon or Nippon, and nippongo does exist, but nihongo is the usual everyday reading. Learn nihongo first.
What do Japanese schoolchildren call the subject?
At school the subject is usually 国語 (kokugo, "national language"). 日本語 is the general word for the language, and it is the word used when teaching it to learners from other countries.
Why our name uses this word
Nihongo Hub is two words on purpose. Nihongo means Japanese, and a hub is where everything comes together in one place: lessons, games, mock exams and people learning with you. You can read more about Nihongo Hub, or pick up the next step with our free resources for learning Japanese in Bangla.
