What Do Hyphens in Japanese Words Mean?123

Hyphens in Japanese words are used to indicate several different things. The most common uses are to:
Connect two or more words to form a compound noun or adjective.
Indicate the reading of a word or phrase.
Separate a word or phrase from the rest of the sentence for emphasis.

Connecting Words to Form Compound Nouns or Adjectives

When two or more words are combined to form a compound noun or adjective, a hyphen is used to connect them. The resulting word is treated as a single unit, and the hyphen is not pronounced. For example:
本-屋 (hon-ya) - bookstore
車-椅子 (kuruma-isu) - wheelchair
赤-い (akai) - red
美-しい (utsukushii) - beautiful

Indicating the Reading of a Word or Phrase

Hyphens are also used to indicate the reading of a word or phrase. This is especially common in foreign words and phrases that have been borrowed into Japanese. For example:
ジ-ャ-パ-ン (ja-pa-n) - Japan
カ-リ-フ-ォ-ル-ニ-ア (ka-ri-fu-o-ru-ni-a) - California
ラ-イ-オ-ン (ra-i-o-n) - lion
ア-イ-ス-ク-リ-ー-ム (a-i-su-ku-ri-i-mu) - ice cream

Separating a Word or Phrase for Emphasis

Finally, hyphens can be used to separate a word or phrase from the rest of the sentence for emphasis. This is often done with words or phrases that are being contrasted or compared. For example:
私は-日本人です。-私は-アメリカ人ではありません。(Watashi wa nihonjin desu. Watashi wa amerikajin de wa arimasen.) - I am Japanese. I am not American.
赤い-車は-速いです。-青い-車は-遅いです。(Akai kuruma wa hayai desu. Aoi kuruma wa osoi desu.) - The red car is fast. The blue car is slow.
日本語-は-難しいです。-英語-は-簡単です。(Nihongo wa muzukashii desu. Eigo wa kantan desu.) - Japanese is difficult. English is easy.

Conclusion

Hyphens are a versatile tool that can be used to indicate a variety of different things in Japanese. By understanding the different uses of hyphens, you can improve your reading and writing skills in Japanese.

2025-01-20

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