ジャスミン
jasumin[d͡ʑa̠sɨmʲĩɴ]
The English word jasmine is expressed in Japanese as ジャスミン (jasumin). Wiktionary also lists 茉莉 (matsuri) and 茉莉花 (matsurika).
Meaning: plant of genus Jasminum (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ジャスミン | jasumin | [d͡ʑa̠sɨmʲĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 茉莉 | matsuri | [ma̠t͡sɨɾʲi] (narrow) |
| 茉莉花 | matsurika | [ma̠t͡sɨɾʲika̠] (narrow) |
The katakana form ジャスミン is the most common way to refer to the jasmine plant or its scent in everyday conversation. To say 'Jasmine's house', you can use ジャスミンさんのお家.
What does it mean word for word?
The kanji character 莉 is specifically used in the context of jasmine and is characterized by the grass radical (くさかんむり) at the top.
Which one should you use?
While ジャスミン is used for the plant generally, 茉莉花 (matsurika) is a more poetic or classical term often used in names or literature.
How do you pronounce it?
jasumin
Did you know?
- The Japanese word ジャスミン is a direct loanword from English, but the kanji characters 茉莉 actually trace their roots back to Sanskrit.
- In Japan, jasmine is most commonly encountered as a scent in 'jasmine tea', which is often sold as a refreshing bottled beverage in vending machines.
- The term 茉莉花 is shared with Chinese, reflecting the historical influence of Chinese botany and language on Japanese terminology.
Examples in context
- これってジャスミン茶？Is this jasmine tea?This sentence is useful for identifying jasmine tea using ジャスミン.Tatoeba #8844981 by bunbuku, translation #458955 by CM
- 「『ひまり』って、どんな字書くの？」「えっとね、太陽の『陽』に『万』。一万、二万のね。『莉』は草冠に『利』」「草冠に『り』？」「のぎへんにりっとう」「ああっ！ジャスミンの！」「ジャスミン？」「なんでもない。気にしないで」"How d'ya write 'Himari'?" "Uh, the second character in 'sun,' and then the character that goes 'man.' Y'know, like ten thousand, twenty thousand and so on. Then the 'ri' part is the 'ri' with a grass radical." "'Ri' with a grass radical?" "Yeah, with the grain stalk radical and the sword part on the right" "Oh! From Jasmine!" "Jasmine?" "Nothing. Don't worry about it."This dialogue uses ジャスミン while discussing the components of kanji characters.Tatoeba #10058592 by small_snow, translation #10123517 by deltadave
- 庭にジャスミンが咲いています。Niwa ni jasumin ga saite imasu.Jasmine is blooming in the garden.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are looking at plants in a garden.
- 美咲 Misakiこの白い花はジャスミンかな？Kono shiroi hana wa jasumin kana?I wonder if this white flower is jasmine?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、たぶんジャスミンだと思うよ。Un, tabun jasumin da to omou yo.Yeah, I think it's probably jasmine.
- 美咲 Misakiいい匂いがするね。Ii nioi ga suru ne.It smells lovely.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当にいい香りだね。Hontō ni ii kaori da ne.It really is a great fragrance.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jasmine” translations and entries ジャスミン, 茉莉, 茉莉花, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ジャスミン, 茉莉, 茉莉花, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
