LEARN JAPANESE WITH PIMSLEUR

Japanese name of planets

Nihongo

Per Kevin

In this article we'll learn the names of the planets and some expressions in the Japanese language. You'll see how the ideograms give a rich understanding of the universe in Japanese. Just like the days of the week, the universe in Japanese is made up of the ideograms of the elements of nature.

Most planets are initially written with an element or kanji that defines the planet and its chemical composition, followed by the kanji star (星) that can indicate a planet as well.

It makes perfect sense since stars are just planets, and sometimes they are bigger than the sun itself. Even “Planet” (惑星) in Japanese literally means false star.

Japanese name of planets

Name of Planets in Japanese

Below is a list of the names of the planets in Japanese followed by their literal meaning or the symbolism that the Japanese ideograms give to the words:

  • 惑星 (Wakusei) - Planet (illusion + Star)
  • 太陽系 (Taiyoukei) - Solar System (Sun line)
  • 太陽 (Taiyō) - Sun - Also represented by 日
  • 月 (Tsuki) - Moon - May mean month
  • ムーン (Mūn) - Moon - Americanized version
  • 月光 (Gekkō) - Moonlight - Luz da Lua
  • 水星 (Suisei) - Mercury - Water star
  • 金星 (Kinsei) - Venus - Gold star
  • 地球 (Chikyū) - Earth - Literally earth sphere
  • 火星 (Kasei) - Mars - Fire star
  • 木星 (Mokusei) - Jupiter - Wooden star
  • 土星 (Dosei) - Saturn - Earth star (ground)
  • 天王星 (Ten'nōsei) - Uranus - Star king of the skies
  • 海王星 (Kaiōsei) - Neptune - King of the seas
  • 冥王星 (Meiōsei) - Pluto - Ideogram of Obscure, dark

It is interesting to note that the names of planets in Japanese are not realistic, Saturn is a gaseous planet, how did it get the name Earth Star? Mars despite being red is very cold.

The names of the planets are related to Roman mythology. The last planets, king of the skies, king of the seas and the dark king is further proof of this.

Stars background 01

Talking about space in Japanese

Now let's go deeper and learn some words related to the Universe:

  • 銀河系 (Gingakei) - Galaxy - Silver River (系 - system)
  • 小惑星 (Shōwakusei) - Asteroid - Small Planet
  • 宇宙 (Uchuu) - Universe
  • 大気 (Taiki) - Atmosphere - Great Care
  • 食 (Shoku) - Eclipse - 月食 or 日食
  • 流星 (Ryūsei) - Meteor - Or shooting star
  • 宇宙人 (Uchuujin) - Extraterrestrial - Person from outer space
  • 重力 (Jūryoku) - Gravity - Power of weight, strong weight
  • 宇宙飛行士 (Uchū hikō-shi) - Astronaut - Aviator of the Universe
  • 星座 (Seiza) - Constellation
  • 衛星 (Eisei) - Natural satellite
  • 天の川 (Amanogawa) - A Via Láctea - Rio dos céus
  • 軌道 (Kidou) - Orbit
  • ブラックホール (Burakku Hōru) - Buraco Negro - Black Hole
  • 超新星 (Chōshinsei) - Supernova - Supernova
  • 渦巻銀河 (Uzumaki Gingā) - Spiral Galaxy - Spiral Galaxy
  • 白色矮星 (Hakushoku Waissei) - White Dwarf - White Dwarf Star
  • パルサー (Parusā) - Pulse - Pulse
  • クエーサー (Kuēsā) - Quasar - Quasar
  • 南十字星 (Minami Jūjisei) - Southern Cross Constellation - Southern Cross Star
  • 彗星 (Suisei) - Cometa - Cometa
  • 黄道帯 (Kōdōtai) - Zodiac - Zodiac Belt
  • 天文学者 (Tenmongakusha) - Astronomer - Astronomy scholar

The Japanese language is really interesting, all the words can be understood simply and literally, we don't need to pick up a dictionary to know what a word means, because in writing we understand perfectly what it means. That's the importance and richness of the Kanji.

We recommend reading: How to translate and learn Japanese using jisho?

phrases about space in japanese

My father has traveled in space

父は宇宙へ行ったことがある。
Chichi wa uchū e itta koto ga aru.

The moon circles the earth.

月は地球の回りを回転している。
Tsuki wa chikyū no mawari o kaiten shite iru.

The Sun has nine planetas.

太陽は9つの惑星を持つ。
Taiyō wa kokonotsu no wakusei o motsu.

What language will extraterrestrials speak?

宇宙人は言語がなんだろうか。
Uchūbito wa gengo ga nandarou ka.

We all live on Earth.

私たちはみんな地球に住んでいる。
Watashitachi wa min'na chikyū ni sunde iru.

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.

木星は、太陽系最大の惑星である。
Mokusei wa, taiyōkei saidai no wakuseidearu.

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun.

水星は太陽に一番近い惑星です。
Suisei wa taiyō ni ichiban chikai wakuseidesu.

Neptune is the eighth planet in the solar system.

海王星は太陽系の8番目の惑星だ。
Kaiōsei wa taiyōkei no 8-banme no wakuseida.

Earth is not a star, but a planet.

地球は恒星ではなくて惑星です。
Chikyū wa kōseide wanakute wakuseidesu.

A long time ago, when Pluto was still a planet, there was a boy named Tom.

昔々、冥王星がまだ惑星だったころ、トムという男の子がいました。
Tom. Mukashi mukashi, Meiōsei ga mada wakuseidatta koro, Tomu to iu otokonoko ga imashita.

Videos about the planets in Japanese

Finally, let's see some videos? I hope you enjoyed the article, as an exercise comment on sentences related to the Universe and Space. Don't forget to share with friends.

Meaning and Definition: machiawase