How do you say "silver" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "silver" is (gin). It is a adjective pronounced "gee-n".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

銀 is written in kanji. Romanised as gin, it sounds roughly like "gee-n" to an English ear.

Example sentence

コインは銀色に光ります。

Koin wa giniro ni hikarimasu.

The coin shines silver.

Usage notes

Gin (銀) means silver. It appears in the word ginkou (銀行, bank), literally 'silver row'. Silver is associated with elegance and restraint in Japanese aesthetics.

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Questions about 銀

How do you pronounce 銀?

銀 is romanised as gin. Say it roughly like "gee-n" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 銀 formal or casual?

銀 is a na-adjective or noun-adjective. It is neutral in register and fits naturally in both casual and polite sentences. Add na before a noun, or use desu for a polite predicate.

How is 銀 written in Japanese?

銀 is written using kanji. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

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.