How do you say "blackboard" in Japanese?

黒板

kokuban

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "blackboard" is 黒板 (kokuban).

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Pronunciation

黒板 is written using kanji. Romanised as kokuban, it sounds roughly like "koh-koo-bah-n" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Kokuban combines black (黒) and board (板). Kokuban is a traditional Japanese term, predating the English loanword for chalkboards.

Example sentence

子供たちは黒板の周りで遊んでいます。

Kodomotachi wa Kokuban no mawari de asonde imasu.

The children are playing around the blackboard.

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How to remember 黒板

Koku (black) ban (board, plank). A blackboard is black for chalk to show up clearly. It is used in traditional Japanese classrooms.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese nouns.

Questions about 黒板

How do you pronounce 黒板?

黒板 is romanised as kokuban. Say it roughly like "koh-koo-bah-n" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 黒板 formal or casual?

黒板 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 黒板 written in Japanese?

黒板 is written using kanji. Kokuban combines black (黒) and board (板).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Blackboard" in other languages

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