How do you say "knife" in Japanese?

ナイフ

naifu

Noun Katakana

In Japanese, "knife" is ナイフ (naifu).

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Pronunciation

ナイフ is written using katakana. Romanised as naifu, it sounds roughly like "nah-ee-foo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Naifu is katakana from English knife, used for Western-style eating utensils in formal dining contexts. Native Japanese cutlery has different terminology.

Example sentence

ナイフはどこにありますか？

Naifu wa doko ni arimasu ka?

Where is the knife?

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How to remember ナイフ

Naifu rhymes with knife. Picture a sharp blade and handle for cutting food at the table.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more bakery words.

Questions about ナイフ

How do you pronounce ナイフ?

ナイフ is romanised as naifu. Say it roughly like "nah-ee-foo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is ナイフ formal or casual?

ナイフ 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 ナイフ written in Japanese?

ナイフ is written using katakana. Naifu is katakana from English knife, used for Western-style eating utensils in formal dining contexts.

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.

"Knife" in other languages

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