ロシア
Roshia[ɾo̞ɕia̠]
Russia in Japanese is ロシア (Roshia). If unsure, use ロシア. Wiktionary also lists 露西亜 (Roshia) and 露国 (Rokoku).
Meaning: country in Eastern Europe and North Asia (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ロシア | Roshia | [ɾo̞ɕia̠] (narrow) | |
| 露西亜 | Roshia | [ɾo̞ɕia̠] (narrow) | dated |
| 露国 | Rokoku | [ɾo̞ko̞kɯ̟] (narrow) | dated |
| 魯西亜 | Roshia | [ɾo̞ɕia̠] (narrow) | dated, pejorative |
| 魯国 | Rokoku | dated, pejorative |
The term refers to the country located in Eastern Europe and North Asia.
Which one should you use?
While ロシア is the modern standard, other forms exist in older or specific contexts. 魯西亜 and 露西亜 are dated ways to write the name. The forms 露国 and 魯国 are even older. 露国 is considered obsolete, while 魯国 is both obsolete and offensive. Because 魯国 and 魯西亜 carry pejorative connotations, they should be avoided.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The katakana form ロシア is the standard and modern way to write the name of the country. It is used in formal and general contexts. The other forms mentioned are dated, and specifically, 魯国 and 魯西亜 are pejorative or offensive and should not be used.
How do you pronounce it?
Roshia
Did you know?
- Russia officially pressured Japan to change the spelling of its name in 1877. The previous character 魯 was seen as offensive because it carried a meaning of 'foolish'.
- While ロシア is used for the country, the character 露 is still used in Japanese news headlines as a one-character shorthand for Russia.
Examples in context
- ロシア全国を旅した。I've travelled through the whole of Russia.This sentence is useful for expressing having travelled through the whole of Russia using ロシア.Tatoeba #5241312 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #5272613 by kemushi69
- ロシアから来ました。I am from Russia.This sentence is useful for stating one's origin from Russia using ロシア.Tatoeba #11058379 by small_snow, translation #436345 by lukaszpp
- ロシアに住んでるの？Do you live in Russia?This sentence is useful for asking if someone lives in Russia using ロシア.Tatoeba #11795635 by small_snow, translation #9971962 by ddnktr
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about geography in a cafe.
- 陽太 Yotaロシアはとても広いね。Roshia wa totemo hiroi ne.Russia is very large, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misakiそうだね、本当に大きいよ。Sou da ne, hontou ni ookii yo.That's true, it's really big.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんはいつか行ってみたい？Misaki-san wa itsuka itte mitai?Misaki, would you like to go there someday?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、一度行ってみたいわ。Un, ichido itte mitai wa.Yes, I would like to go once.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “russia” translations and entries ロシア, 露西亜, 露国, 魯西亜, 魯国, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ロシア, 露国, 露西亜, 魯西亜, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
