noun
Hepburn
noun
1
A system for writing Japanese words using the Latin alphabet, the one most commonly seen in Western books and signage.
"The word "sushi" is the Hepburn romanization of the Japanese characters 寿司."
"Most textbooks for English speakers teach Japanese pronunciation using Hepburn romanization."
How to Use Hepburn
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA standard way of spelling Japanese words with English letters so non-Japanese speakers can read and pronounce them.
Common pairings
Hepburn romanization
Hepburn system
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The word "sushi" is the _____ romanization of the Japanese characters 寿司.
Etymology
Named after James Curtis Hepburn, a 19th-century missionary who popularised this way of spelling Japanese sounds with Latin letters.