name
Japan
juh-PAN
name
1
An island nation in East Asia, whose capital is Tokyo.
"They spent three weeks travelling around Japan."
noun
1
A hard, glossy black lacquer or varnish, or an item finished with it.
"The cabinet was coated in black japan to give it a mirror-like shine."
verb
1
To coat something with this hard black lacquer.
"The craftsman japanned the box before adding gold detailing."
How to Use Japan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMainly the country in East Asia; less commonly, a type of glossy black varnish or the act of applying it.
Word Forms
japanned past tense, japans plural, japans singular
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Etymology
The country name reached English via Portuguese and Malay from a Chinese term meaning roughly "sun origin"; the lacquer sense comes from ornamental lacquerware first associated with East Asian craftsmanship.