日出づる国
hi izuru kuni
The English phrase "land of the rising sun" is expressed in Japanese as 日出づる国 (hi izuru kuni). If unsure, use 日出づる国. Wiktionary also lists 日の本 (hi no moto) and 日の本の国 (hi no moto no kuni).
Meaning: Japan (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 日出づる国 | hi izuru kuni | |
| 日の本 | hi no moto | [çino̞mo̞to̞] (narrow) |
| 日の本の国 | hi no moto no kuni |
These phrases are used as poetic or literary epithets for Japan rather than in everyday conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 日出づる国 (hi izuru kuni) literally means "the land where the sun rises", where the character 日 (hi) means sun or day.
Which one should you use?
While 日出づる国 (hi izuru kuni) focuses on the action of the sun rising, 日の本 (hi no moto) focuses on the sun as the source or origin, translating literally to "the origin/source of the sun".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 日の本の国 (hi no moto no kuni) is a more archaic and poetic way to refer to Japan.
How do you pronounce it?
hi izuru kuni
Did you know?
- In modern Japanese, the word 本 (moto) typically means 'book', but in the phrase 日の本, it uses an older meaning of 'origin' or 'root'.
- The phrase 日の本 (hi no moto) was originally a way for Japan to define itself in relation to China. It described Japan's position as the place where the sun originates from when looking eastward from the Chinese mainland.
- The term 日の本 is the origin of the modern name for Japan, 日本 (Nippon or Nihon). While the original form used a possessive particle, the modern name merged the characters into a single compound.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are discussing Japanese nicknames in a classroom.
- 結衣 Yui日本の別名を知っていますか？Nihon no betsumei o shitte imasu ka?Do you know another name for Japan?
- 健太 Kentaはい、日出づる国のことですよね。Hai, hi izuru kuni no koto desu yo ne.Yes, you mean the land of the rising sun.
- 結衣 Yui正解です。健太さんは物知りですね。Seikai desu. Kenta-san wa monoshiri desu ne.Correct. Kenta, you are very knowledgeable.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます、結衣さん。Arigatou gozaimasu, Yui-san.Thank you, Yui.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “land of the rising sun” translations and entries 日の本, 日の本の国, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 日の本, 日の本の国, CC BY-SA 4.0.
