Home › Japanese › Glossary › new (thing)
Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "new (thing)" in Japanese?
新しい
Atarashii
In Japanese, "new (thing)" is 新しい (Atarashii).
Free Japanese learning game. No sign-up, play in browser. See all games
Pronunciation
新しい is written using kanji. Romanised as Atarashii, it sounds roughly like "ah-tah-rah-shee" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
Atarashii (新しい) is an i-adjective for new objects, ideas, or fresh news. For a person new to a position, atarashii hito (new person) is standard vocabulary.
Example sentence
この本はとても新しいです。
Kono hon wa totemo atarashii desu.
This book is very new.
Test your Japanese knowledge in our free browser games.
How to remember 新しい
The kanji 新 uses a wood radical with something new sprouting. Picture a fresh sapling growing from the ground.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 新しい
How do you pronounce 新しい?
新しい is romanised as Atarashii. Say it roughly like "ah-tah-rah-shee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 新しい formal or casual?
新しい 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 新しい written in Japanese?
新しい is written using kanji. Atarashii (新しい) is an i-adjective for new objects, ideas, or fresh news.
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.
"New (thing)" 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.
Noun Town on PC, Mac & VR
These browser games are just a taste. The full Noun Town is a bigger, deeper 3D world: explore a living town, talk to its characters and learn thousands of words in immersive VR, Mixed Reality, or on your computer. It's an award-winning game with 590+ reviews on Steam and 12 languages to learn.
See the full game ▶Spot an error? Email us at contact@noun.town