ヨーロッパ
Yōroppa[jo̞ːɾo̞p̚pa̠]
The Japanese word for Europe is ヨーロッパ (Yōroppa). A formal alternative is 欧州 (Ōshū). If unsure, use ヨーロッパ.
Meaning: continent (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ヨーロッパ | Yōroppa | [jo̞ːɾo̞p̚pa̠] (narrow) |
| 欧州 | Ōshū | [o̞ːɕɨː] (narrow) |
ヨーロッパ is the everyday name of the continent in speech and writing.
Which one should you use?
欧州 is a more formal word of Chinese origin, used in news reports, academic writing and official names such as 欧州連合, the European Union. The character 欧 stands for Europe in compound words.
How does it change in a sentence?
ヨーロッパ is written in katakana, the script used for words borrowed from other languages.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as Yōroppa, with a long o in the first syllable and a short pause before the p.
Did you know?
- The word ヨーロッパ likely entered Japanese via Portuguese sailors rather than English or French speakers.
Examples in context
- ヨーロッパは大陸です。Europe is a continent.ヨーロッパは大陸です states that Europe is a continent.Tatoeba #2704992 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #2635043 by CK
- 冬のヨーロッパは寒い。Europe is cold in the winter.冬のヨーロッパ means Europe in winter.Tatoeba #10588030 by Sonata, translation #12481096 by Lumi
- ヨーロッパから来たの？Are you from Europe?ヨーロッパから means from Europe.Tatoeba #11870716 by small_snow, translation #9934845 by ddnktr
- 104 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are talking about travel plans at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki次は、ヨーロッパに行きたいな。Tsugi wa, yōroppa ni ikitai na.Next, I want to go to Europe.
- 健太 Kentaヨーロッパは、素敵な場所だよね。Yōroppa wa, suteki na basho da yo ne.Europe is a wonderful place, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、ヨーロッパに行ったことある？Kenta-san wa, yōroppa ni itta koto aru?Kenta, have you ever been to Europe?
- 健太 Kentaいや、まだ一度も行ったことがないよ。Iya, mada ichido mo itta koto ga nai yo.No, I haven't been there even once.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “europe” translations and entries ヨーロッパ, 欧州, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ヨーロッパ, 欧州, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
