Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| イギリス | Igirisu | [iɡʲiɾʲisɨ] (narrow) |
| 英国 | Eikoku | [e̞ːko̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| グレートブリテン及び北アイルランド連合王国 | Gurēto Buriten oyobi Kita Airurando rengō ōkoku | [ɡɯ̟ɾe̞ːto̞ bɯ̟ɾʲite̞ɰ̃ o̞jo̞bʲi kʲi̥ta̠ a̠iɾɯ̟ɾã̠ndo̞ ɾẽ̞ŋɡo̞ː o̞ːko̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 連合王国 | Rengō ōkoku | [ɾẽ̞ŋɡo̞ː o̞ːko̞kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The term イギリス is the most common way to refer to the United Kingdom in daily conversation. While it is etymologically derived from 'English' and is technically less precise than 'United Kingdom', it is widely used to refer to the UK or Great Britain as a whole, including England, Scotland and Wales.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 連合王国 literally means 'United Kingdom', where 連合 means 'union/alliance' and 王国 means 'kingdom'.
Which one should you use?
イギリス is the common, colloquial term for the UK or Great Britain. 英国 is a more formal, written-style way to refer to the United Kingdom. グレートブリテン及び北アイルランド連合王国 is the long, official, full political name. 連合王国 is the literal translation of 'United Kingdom'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
イギリス is the most common term used in daily life. 英国 is used in more formal, written contexts. グレートブリテン及び北アイルランド連合王国 is reserved for formal diplomatic or legal contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
Igirisu
Did you know?
- The common word イギリス does not come from English, but from the Portuguese word inglês.
- The term 英国 is often used in news headlines because it consists of only two characters, making it more visually efficient than the five characters in イギリス.
- In the official name グレートブリテン及び北アイルランド連合王国, the word 及び is a highly formal version of 'and' rarely used in spoken Japanese.
Examples in context
- ロンドンは英国の首都である。London is the capital of the United Kingdom.This sentence is useful for identifying the capital of 英国.Tatoeba #192108 by bunbuku, translation #2592902 by WestofEden
- 英語の旗がイギリス国旗なのに、英文の大半がアメリカ英語で書いてあるというのがとても好きです。I love how the flag for English is the United Kingdom flag, but the vast majority of English sentences are in American English.This sentence shows how the term イギリス is used when discussing flags and English.Tatoeba #9392575 by small_snow, translation #9387319 by DJ_Saidez
- なぜ、英国を訪問するのですか。Why are you visiting the United Kingdom?This sentence is useful for asking about a visit to 英国.Tatoeba #199292 by mookeee, translation #36494 by CN
- イギリスに行きたいです。I want to go to the United Kingdom.
- 英国出身の友人に会いました。I met a friend from the United Kingdom.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their future travel plans.
- 陽葵 Himari休みはイギリスに行きたいな。Yasumi wa igirisu ni ikitai na.I want to go to the UK during the holidays.
- 蓮 Renいいね。どこを回るつもり？Ii ne. Doko o mawaru tsumori?That sounds great. Where do you plan to visit?
- 陽葵 Himariロンドンとエディンバラに寄りたい。Rondon to edinbara ni yoritai.I want to stop by London and Edinburgh.
- 蓮 Renイギリス旅行、楽しみだね。Igirisu ryokō, tanoshimi da ne.I'm excited for your UK trip.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “united kingdom” translations and entries イギリス, 英国, グレートブリテン及び北アイルランド連合王国, 連合王国, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries イギリス, グレートブリテン及び北アイルランド連合王国, 英国, 連合王国, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
