フィリピン
Firipin[ɸʲiɾʲipʲĩɴ]
The English phrase "Philippines" is translated into Japanese as フィリピン (Firipin). Wiktionary also lists 比律賓 (Firipin).
Meaning: Republic of the Philippines (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| フィリピン | Firipin | [ɸʲiɾʲipʲĩɴ] (narrow) | |
| 比律賓 | Firipin | obsolete |
フィリピン is the name of the Republic of the Philippines.
Which one should you use?
フィリピン is the standard form, while 比律賓 is an obsolete version of the name.
How do you pronounce it?
Firipin
Did you know?
- The Japanese name フィリピン did not come directly from Spanish, but likely traveled through Chinese as 菲律賓 before entering Japan.
- The transition from the kanji 比律賓 to the katakana フィリピン reflects a wider historical trend in Japan of moving away from Chinese-style transcriptions toward phonetic ones.
- While フィリピン is the name of the country, Japanese people use the word フィリピン as a prefix for many specific cultural exports, such as フィリピンマンゴー for Philippine mangoes.
Examples in context
- わたしはフィリピンの文化に興味があります。I have an interest in Filipino culture.
- フィリピンに行くことを考えています。I am thinking about going to the Philippines.
- フィリピンに行きたいです。Firipin ni ikitai desu.I want to go to the Philippines.
- フィリピン料理はとても美味しいです。Firipin ryouri wa totemo oishii desu.Philippine cuisine is very delicious.
- 彼はフィリピン出身です。Kare wa Firipin shusshin desu.He is from the Philippines.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about travel plans at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui次の休みはどこかへ行きますか？Tsugi no yasumi wa dokoka e ikimasu ka?Are you going anywhere during your next break?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、フィリピンに行く予定です。Hai, Firipin ni iku yotei desu.Yes, I plan to go to the Philippines.
- 結衣 Yuiいいですね！楽しんできてください。Ii desu ne! Tanoshinde kite kudasai.That sounds nice! Please have a great time.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとうございます、結衣さん。Arigatou gozaimasu, Yui-san.Thank you, Yui.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “philippines” translations and entries フィリピン, 比律賓, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries フィリピン, 比律賓, CC BY-SA 4.0.
