How to Say Japan in Japanese

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Know that Japanese uses two "alphabets."

   Hiragana is the more commonly used alphabet, but some people also use katakana.
   
   Both systems use characters to represent syllables.
   
   Many people also write in kanji, which originated in China and still bears many similarities to Chinese writing.
   
   Thus, you may often see the word "Japan" written as 日本 (kanji) or にほん (hiragana).In kanji, 日, or "ni," is the character for "sun." 本, or "hon," is the character for "origin." Thus, "Japan" literally means "sun-origin," or "The Land of the Rising Sun."
2. 2

   Step 2: Pronounce either にほん or 日本 as "Nihon."

   The syllables sound like "nee" and "hon" or "han." Say "hon" as a sharp ending, however, not a drawl – "hon," not "hone" or "hun." "Nihon" may also sound like "Nipon" or "Nippon." Pronounce it "Nee-pon" – "pon" as in "pond." To be safe, think of the correct pronunciation as a soft blend of "Nihon" and "Nippon."
   
   To say "Japanese" in Japanese, add the syllable "go" (as in "got") to the end of "Nihon." Pronounce it "Nihongo" or "Nee-hon-go."
   
   In past centuries, the Japanese language has been subject to the influence of Chinese monks, European explorers, and various foreign merchants.
   
   There is still no full consensus about whether the name is pronounced "Nihon" or "Nippon." "Nippon" is the older pronunciation – but a recent survey showed that 61 percent of native speakers read the word as "Nihon," while only 37 percent read it as "Nippon."When in doubt, take your cues from the people around you.
   
   Some claim that traditionally, Japanese used "Nihon" to refer to their nation when communicating between themselves, and "Nippon" when speaking to outsiders.
   
   This has not been officially verified, and there is no formally "correct" pronunciation., The best way to learn how to pronounce the word is to hear someone say it.
   
   Once you've heard it, practice saying it yourself.
   
   Look online for videos or recordings of people saying "日本".If you have any friends or family members who are native Japanese speakers, ask them to pronounce the word for you.
3. 3

   Step 3: Say "Japanese."

4. 4

   Step 4: Understand that the pronunciation is a matter of debate.

5. 5

   Step 5: Listen to someone say it.

Detailed Guide

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