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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "tradition" in Japanese?
伝統
dentou
In Japanese, "tradition" is 伝統 (dentou).
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Pronunciation
Dentou holds a long o sound at the end, den-tou, so let that final vowel stretch rather than clipping it.
Writing and usage
伝統 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
新年に食事を共にするのは家族の伝統です。
shinnen ni shokuji wo tomoni surunoha kazoku no dentou desu.
Sharing a meal at New Year is a family tradition.
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How to remember 伝統
Dentou starts with 'den', like a family den where old traditions get passed down generation after generation.
Related words
- freedom 自由 jiyuu
- justice 正義 seigi
- peace 平和を heiwa wo
- equality 平等 byoudou
- opportunity 機会 kikai
- responsibility 責任 sekinin
- challenge チャレンジ charenji
- culture 文化 bunka
- custom 慣習 kanshuu
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 伝統
How do you pronounce 伝統?
Dentou holds a long o sound at the end, den-tou, so let that final vowel stretch rather than clipping it.
Is 伝統 formal or casual?
伝統 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 伝統 written in Japanese?
伝統 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as dentou.
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.
"Tradition" in other languages
Curated by Jack 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. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.
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