名詞

• Reading: めいし
• Romaji: meishi
• Kanji breakdown: 名 (mei/na) — name; 詞 (shi) — word, part of speech
• Pronunciation: /meː.ɕi/

Meaning

Noun. A grammatical term for a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

A linguistic term used in Japanese grammar education. One of the basic parts of speech (品詞) alongside 動詞 (verb), 形容詞 (adjective), and others. Learners encounter this term frequently in textbooks and grammar explanations. Not to be confused with 名刺 (meishi, business card), which has the same reading.

Examples

1. この文の中で名詞はどれですか。 Which word in this sentence is the noun?
2. 日本語では名詞に性別がない。 In Japanese, nouns don't have gender.
3. 名詞を修飾する言葉を形容詞と言います。 A word that modifies a noun is called an adjective.

Usage Guide

Context: grammar, education, linguistics

Tone: academic

Origin & History

Composed of 名 (name) and 詞 (word, part of speech). A grammatical term borrowed from classical Chinese linguistic terminology, literally meaning 'naming word.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Students and educators

Social background: Universal