How do you say "dictionary" in Japanese?

辞書

jisho

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "dictionary" is 辞書 (jisho).

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Pronunciation

辞書 is written using kanji. Romanised as jisho, it sounds roughly like "jee-shoh" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Jisho pairs 辞 (words/phrases) with 書 (book/writing). A practical compound describing a book of words.

Example sentence

机の上に辞書があります。

Tsukue no ue ni Jisho ga arimasu.

There is a dictionary on the desk.

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How to remember 辞書

Word book. Picture shelves of reference books containing words.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more office words.

Questions about 辞書

How do you pronounce 辞書?

辞書 is romanised as jisho. Say it roughly like "jee-shoh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 辞書 formal or casual?

辞書 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 辞書 written in Japanese?

辞書 is written using kanji. Jisho pairs 辞 (words/phrases) with 書 (book/writing).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Dictionary" in other languages

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