Japanese language

Table of Contents

Introduction
General considerations
- Hypotheses of genetic affiliation
- Dialects
- Literary history
  - Grammatical structure
  - Phonology
  - Syntax
Linguistic characteristics of modern Japanese
- Phonology
  - The word-pitch accent system
  - Phonemes
- Grammatical structure
- Vocabulary
- Writing systems

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Japanese kana symbols

Japanese language

For Students

Japanese language summary

Read Next

poem. A poet in a Heian period kimono writes Japanese poetry during the Kamo Kyokusui No En Ancient Festival at Jonan-gu shrine on April 29, 2013 in Kyoto, Japan. Festival of Kyokusui-no Utage orignated in 1,182, party Heian era (794-1192).

World Poetry Day

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King Cobra snake in Malaysia. (reptile)

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The Lost Colony of Roanoke, North Carolina, where 115 people mysteriously disappeared c. 1590. John White discovers the word Croatoan carved onto a tree upon his return to the deserted Roanoke Colony in 1590

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African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.

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Young boys working in a thread spinning mill in Macon, Georgia, 1909. Boys are so small they have to climb onto the spinning frame to reach and fix broken threads and put back empty bobbins. Child labor. Industrial revolution

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earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.

The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950

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bird. mourning dove. pigeon and dove. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) family Columbidae.

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Japanese language: Related Content

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News •

Japanese TV Executives Get 10-Hour Grilling Over Sex Abuse Case • Jan. 28, 2025, 3:07 AM ET (New York Times)

Photos

Japanese kana symbols

Japanese language

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Topics

Middle Japanese language Kyushu Early Modern Japanese language Late Old Japanese language Hondo Modern Japanese language Old Japanese language Nantō Kamigata Japanese literature Uralic languages Dravidian languages Caucasian languages Sino-Tibetan languages Altaic languages Korean language Austroasiatic languages Indo-Iranian languages Paleo-Siberian languages Indian languages

Key People

Ernest F. Fenollosa

American orientalist and art critic

Hearn, Lafcadio

Lafcadio Hearn

British-born writer and translator

Futabatei Shimei

Japanese author

Tsubouchi Shōyō

Japanese author

Arthur David Waley

British translator

portrait of Klabund by Orlik

Klabund

German writer

Quiz

Many slips of paper with "thank you" in different languages written on them. Thumbnail for the Dutch, Yiddish, Japanese, or Hindi Quiz.

Dutch, Yiddish, Japanese, or Hindi? Quiz

Hand with pencil writing on page. (handwriting; write)

Word Nerd Quiz

Buddhist engravings on wall in Thailand. Hands on wall. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, science and technology, geography and travel, explore discovery

Languages & Alphabets