アフリカ
Afurika[a̠ɸɯ̟ɾʲika̠]
The Japanese word for the continent Africa is アフリカ (Afurika). Wiktionary also lists 阿弗利加 (Afurika).
Meaning: continent (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| アフリカ | Afurika | [a̠ɸɯ̟ɾʲika̠] (narrow) | |
| 阿弗利加 | Afurika | dated |
For example, the phrase アフリカの文化 means "African culture". Related geographical names include 南アフリカ (South Africa), ナイジェリア (Nigeria) and エジプト (Egypt).
Which one should you use?
The form 阿弗利加 is a dated version of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
Afurika
Did you know?
- The older form 阿弗利加 is an example of 'ateji', where Chinese characters are chosen to match the sounds of a foreign word rather than their literal meanings.
- In Japanese pop culture and music, the word アフリカ is frequently used in lyrics to evoke a sense of exoticism or adventure, often unrelated to actual geography.
- While アフリカ is written in katakana, it is often paired with the kanji 大陸 (tairiku) to specifically say 'the African continent' and distinguish it from the political entities of the region.
Examples in context
- 南アフリカは遠い。South Africa is far away.This sentence is useful for mentioning how far South Africa is using アフリカ.Tatoeba #640529 by arihato, translation #404626 by CM
- 彼はアフリカで生まれた。He was born in Africa.This sentence is useful for saying someone was born in Africa using アフリカ.Tatoeba #114882 by bunbuku, translation #288790 by CK
- ナイル川はアフリカにあります。The Nile is in Africa.This sentence is useful for stating that the Nile is in Africa using アフリカ.Tatoeba #11434021 by bunbuku, translation #9962326 by ddnktr
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about a geography lesson in a classroom.
- 大翔 Hirotoアフリカはとても大きい大陸ですね。Afurika wa totemo ookii tairiku desu ne.Africa is a very large continent, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、本当に広いです。Hai, hontou ni hiroi desu.Yes, it's truly vast.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さんはアフリカに行ったことがありますか？Misaki-san wa Afurika ni itta koto ga arimasu ka?Misaki, have you ever been to Africa?
- 美咲 Misakiいいえ、一度もありません。Iie, ichido mo arimasen.No, not even once.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “africa” translations and entries アフリカ, 阿弗利加, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries アフリカ, 阿弗利加, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
