日本人（にほんじん、nihonjiん）
- Japanese

The word 日本人 ([日本人]) means "Japanese person" or "Japanese people." It refers to a person who is a citizen of Japan or who is of Japanese descent. It can be used to describe an individual or a group of people. The word conveys nationality and/or ethnicity. It is a common and fundamental word in the Japanese language.

⚫︎ 私は日本人です。 Translation: I am Japanese. ⚫︎ そのレストランには日本人のシェフがいます。 Translation: There is a Japanese chef at that restaurant. ⚫︎ 彼女は日本人の友達がたくさんいます。 Translation: She has many Japanese friends.

You use 日本人 to refer to people from Japan or people of Japanese heritage. It is used in various contexts, from casual conversations to formal settings. You can use it when introducing yourself, talking about someone else's nationality, or discussing Japanese culture.

日本人 is written in kanji, hiragana, and katakana. ⚫︎ Kanji: 日本人 ⚫︎ Hiragana: にほんじん ⚫︎ Katakana: ニホンジン (used for emphasis or in foreign words, but less common) The okurigana ("じん") is always written in hiragana. There are no variations in its spelling.

There are no direct synonyms, as 日本人 is the specific term for "Japanese person." However, you might use phrases to describe characteristics.

There is no single antonym. The opposite would be to specify a nationality other than Japanese.

彼は日本人ですが、英語も話せます。 ・Translation: He is Japanese, but he can also speak English. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone's nationality and additional skill.

あの店には日本人の観光客がたくさんいます。 ・Translation: There are many Japanese tourists at that store. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a group of people and their purpose.

The word is formed from the following elements: ⚫︎ 日本 (にほん/にっぽん) which means "Japan" (literally "sun origin" or "origin of the sun"). ⚫︎ 人 (じん) which means "person" or "people." Therefore, 日本人 is literally "Japan person" or "Japanese person."