In the Japanese language it is called Japan (nihon). The term gave Nippon in French. However, we prefer the name Japan. Transcribed in French by " Country of the rising sun Is more or less its literal meaning in the language of the country. A red disk on a white background. Symbols go beyond words and language and are also expressed through the flag. Japan - or 日本, therefore - is a country crowned with mysteries. Among the most beautiful puzzles of the archipelago: the Japanese language.
But then Where does the word Japon come from in French? (and its equivalents in most other languages of the world)? When Portuguese sailors arrive by sea in the Far East, it is the Mandarins who pass on their designation of the Japanese archipelago to them. Pronounced “Jipangu”, the name of the territory soon becomes Japan!
With 21.000 learners in France in 2018, the Japanese language remains far behind the millions of students of English or Spanish. But year after year, the language of Mishima continues to shine across the Sea of Japan and Mount Fuji. Babbel offers you a linguistic and cultural discovery of Japan!
The history of the Japanese language from the Yamato period to the era
