How do you say "ink" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "ink" is インク (inku). It is a noun pronounced "ee-n-koo".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of ink from Noun Town

Pronunciation

インク is written in katakana. Romanised as inku, it sounds roughly like "ee-n-koo" to an English ear.

Example sentence

インクを使います。

Inku wo tsukaimasu.

I use the ink.

Usage notes

Inku (インク) is the Japanese word for ink. This noun appears in everyday contexts across homes, offices, schools, and public spaces.

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Questions about インク

How do you pronounce インク?

インク is romanised as inku. Say it roughly like "ee-n-koo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is インク formal or casual?

インク 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 インク written in Japanese?

インク is written using katakana. Katakana is typically used for words of foreign origin or to give emphasis.

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.