和語

Japanese

Kanji in this term
和	語
わ Grade: 3	ご Grade: 2
goon

Alternative spelling
倭語 (rare)

Etymology

Probably a coinage in Japan of Middle Chinese-derived components, as a compound of 和 (wa, “Japan, Japanese”) +‎ 語 (go, “language, word”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) わご [wáꜜgò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [β̞a̠ɡo̞]

Noun

和(わ)語(ご) • (wago) 

1. (dated) the Japanese language
2. a Japanese word of ancient Japanese origin, such as 見る (miru, “to look, to see”), 光 (hikari, “shining, brightness”), or 桜 (sakura, “cherry tree, cherry blossom”)

Usage notes

Wago may be written in kanji, kana, or both, and are read with the 訓読み (kun’yomi, “native Japanese reading”, literally “meaning reading”). Contrast with 漢語 (kango, “Japanese word of Chinese origin”, literally “Han Chinese word”).

Synonyms

• (Japanese language): 日本語(にほんご) (nihongo)
• (native Japanese word): 大和(やまと)言(こと)葉(ば) (yamatokotoba)

See also

• 漢語(かんご) (kango): Japanese words of Chinese origin
• 外来語(がいらいご) (gairaigo): foreign words (generally more recent borrowings from other languages)