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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "discover" in Japanese?
発見する
hakken suru
In Japanese, "discover" is 発見する (hakken suru).
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Pronunciation
Hak-ken-su-ru, four syllables, the doubled 'k' makes a small pause before 'ken'.
Writing and usage
発見する is written using kanji. It's a verb, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
探検家たちは新しい土地を発見することを望んでいます。
tanken ie tachiha atarashii tochi wo hakken surukotowo nozon deimasu.
Explorers hope to discover new lands.
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How to remember 発見する
Hakken sounds like 'hock, ken' — Ken hocked his old stuff and discovered treasure underneath.
Related words
- whistle 口笛を吹く kuchibue wo fuku
- yawn あくびをする akubiwosuru
- hiccup しゃっくりする shakkurisuru
- blink まばたきをする mabatakiwosuru
- stretch 伸びをする nobi wosuru
- bend 曲げる mage ru
- kneel ひざまずく hizamazuku
- squat しゃがむ shagamu
- compare 比較する hikaku suru
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 発見する
How do you pronounce 発見する?
Hak-ken-su-ru, four syllables, the doubled 'k' makes a small pause before 'ken'.
Is 発見する formal or casual?
発見する 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 発見する written in Japanese?
発見する is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as hakken suru.
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.
"Discover" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.
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