英語

• Reading: えいご
• Romaji: eigo
• Kanji breakdown: 英 (ei) — England, excellent; 語 (go/kata) — language, word
• Pronunciation: /eː.ɡo/

Meaning

English (language). The language spoken in the UK, US, Australia, and many other countries.

A noun combining 英 (England/excellent) and 語 (language). English is a compulsory subject in Japanese schools from elementary school through high school. Many Japanese loanwords come from English. The pattern of 国名 + 語 is used for many language names: フランス語, 中国語, 韓国語.

Examples

1. 英語の授業は楽しいです。 English class is fun.
2. 英語で自己紹介ができますか。 Can you introduce yourself in English?
3. 私は英語を三年間勉強しました。 I have been studying English for three years.

Usage Guide

Context: school, language learning, international communication

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 英 (abbreviation of 英国, England/Britain) and 語 (language). The kanji 英 originally meant 'outstanding' in Chinese and was phonetically assigned to represent England.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal