How do you say "sake" in Japanese?

日本酒

nihonshu

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "sake" is 日本酒 (nihonshu).

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Pronunciation

日本酒 is written using kanji. Romanised as nihonshu, it sounds roughly like "nee-hoh-n-shoo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Nihonshu combines kanji for Japan (日本) and alcohol (酒). The compound specifically designates Japanese traditional rice wine.

Example sentence

冷蔵庫に日本酒が入っています。

Reizoko ni Nihonshu ga haitte imasu.

There is sake in the fridge.

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How to remember 日本酒

Japan (nihon) + alcohol (shu) = Japanese alcohol = sake. Traditional fermented rice wine for ceremonies and celebration.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

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Questions about 日本酒

How do you pronounce 日本酒?

日本酒 is romanised as nihonshu. Say it roughly like "nee-hoh-n-shoo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 日本酒 formal or casual?

日本酒 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 日本酒 written in Japanese?

日本酒 is written using kanji. Nihonshu combines kanji for Japan (日本) and alcohol (酒).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Sake" in other languages

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