The word "Japan" is called Nippon or Nihon (日本 or に ほ ん) in Japanese. To learn how to pronounce it correctly, listen to native speakers. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Step 1. Remember that the Japanese language is characterized by two syllabaries
The first, called hiragana, is the most used, while the second, the katakana, is mainly used to transcribe words of foreign origin. Both are made up of characters representing syllables. In conjunction with the syllabaries, kanji, characters of Chinese origin, are also used. Therefore, the word "Japan" can be written in the following ways: 日本 (kanji) or に ほ ん (hiragana).
The kanji 日, pronounced "ni", represents the sun.本, or "hon", means "origin". Consequently, the word "Japan" literally means "sun of origin", that is, "the land of the rising sun"
Step 2. Both に ほ ん and 日本 are pronounced "Nihon":
hear the pronunciation here.
Sometimes they are also pronounced "Nippon" (listen here). In this case, remember to pause briefly between the two syllables. Both pronunciations can be used
Step 3. Learn to say "Japanese"
To form this adjective, add the syllable "go" to the word Nihon. You will get Nihongo (pronunciation).
Step 4. Consider that the issue of pronunciation is a matter of debate
Over the past centuries, the Japanese language has been subject to various influences: Chinese monks, European explorers and foreign traders. There is no absolute consensus on the exact pronunciation. "Nippon" is the oldest pronunciation, but recent research has shown that 61% of native speakers say "Nihon", while only 37% say "Nippon". When in doubt, imitate the people around you.
Some argue that the Japanese traditionally used the word Nihon to refer to the nation when talking to each other, while Nippon used it when talking to foreigners. This theory has not been officially confirmed and there is no pronunciation considered formally correct
Step 5. Listen to the pronunciation of native speakers
The most effective way to learn how to pronounce this word? Listen to native speakers. Once heard, practice on your own. Look for videos or online recordings of people saying "日本". If you have native speaker friends, invite them to say it.
