We know that the Japanese language loves to have short words of only one syllable, but there are also long words that you never imagined existed. In this article, we will look at the longest words and ideograms in the Japanese language.
The Japanese ideograms called kanji usually have one to three syllables in their reading. There are exceptions where an ideogram can have a very long Japanese reading. Besides the readings, there is something called definition, which is the meaning or translation of the ideogram that can sometimes be as long as a sentence.
Now when it comes to words composed of several ideograms, they can reach exorbitant sizes. This happens because Japanese words convey bigger ideas than a simple foreign word. There is no space in the Japanese language, so some words arise only from the combination of others, just like in the German language.
Long words in Japanese are written as jogaku [長大語].
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Yojijukugo – Words with 4 ideograms
They are not the longest words in Japanese, but we can list a huge number of Japanese words, mainly onomatopoeias and duplicates that are categorized in Japanese as yojijukugo [四字熟語], which literally means a word composed of four characters.
These words are often used like hitorihitori or mechakucha, some can have up to 8 syllables and 16 Roman letters when converted. They are not giant words, but it is interesting to know that they receive a category.
You will hardly find Japanese words and expressions with more than 5 ideograms that are not a combination of words that can be decomposed to form other words. Although all can be decomposed, haha.
Longest Kanji and Ideograms in Japanese
Generally, a kanji has only one or two syllables. Rarely will a Japanese ideogram or kanji have more than 4 syllables. Now let’s change this concept by presenting some ideograms that exceed 4 syllables in pronunciation.
Ideograms can have various readings, so some Japanese may end up inventing infinite readings for certain ideograms. Now let’s look at ideograms with long readings that are common and used in everyday Japanese.
Responsive Table: Scroll the table sideways with your finger >>
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning |
| 詔 | mikotonori | imperial edict |
| 志 | kokorozashi | intention, kindness, will |
| 政 | matsurigoto | rules, government |
| 粉 | deshimeetoru | Decimeter |
| 忙 | ureerusama | busy, restless |
| 奻 | iiaresou | fight, argument |
Regarding ideograms with a long definition, we have [孒] which can be read as hidarinoudeganai meaning I have no left arm. Another ideogram is [砉] which can be defined as honetokawatogahanareruoto.
I couldn’t find or write the ideogram on the computer or internet, but I know that the largest ideogram has a total of 62 letters and 33 syllables and is pronounced monokagekarakyuunitobidashitehitowoodorokaserutokinihassurukoe.
Another Japanese ideogram can be read with 37 letters and 18 syllables and is pronounced: toragahitowokamoutosurutokinounarigoe. Both words refer to a reaction of surprise that makes you jump when hearing a lion’s voice or shadow.
If anyone can write these ideograms, let me know. The second word is written as follows: [⺮] over [將]. I tried, I got it, but I couldn’t write the ideogram that is probably obsolete.
The longest words in the Japanese language
The longest mountain name in Japan is 牛奥ノ雁ケ腹摺山（うしおくのがんがはらすりやま)
The longest temple name in Japan is called 三図河頭極楽東門蓮華台上阿弥陀坊太平埜山本実成院長福寿寺
There is a hill in New Zealand called タウマタファカタンギハンガコアウアウオタマテアポカイフェヌアキタナタフ [Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu].
The longest god name in Japan is アメニキシクニニキシアマツヒコヒコホノニニギノミコト
The longest train station name in Japan is 南阿蘇水の生まれる里白水高原駅 [minamiasomizunoumarerusatohakusuikōgen'eki]
There is a character in Rakugo named じゅげむじゅげむごこうのすりきれかいじゃりすいぎょのすいぎょうまつうんらいまつふうらいまつくうねるところにすむところやぶらこうじのやぶこうじぱいぽぱいぽぱいぽのしゅーりんがんしゅーりんがんのぐーりんだいぐーりんだいのぽんぽこぴーのぽんぽこなーのちょうきゅうめいのちょうすけ.
The longest JAPANESE word comes from Portuguese
Did you know that one of the longest words in the Japanese language actually comes from Portuguese? Yes, they use the same technical term for a lung disease caused by breathing volcanic ash, which has 46 letters and is:
- pneumoultramicroscopicossilicovulcanoconiótico
In Japanese, the word has 33 syllables or kanas with a total of 60 romanized characters. See the word below:
- ニューモノウルトラマイクロスコーピックシリコヴォルケーノコニオシス
- Nyuumonourutoramaikurosukoopikkushirikovuuorukeenokonioshisu
It makes sense, since Japan is a country with many volcanoes, probably the word is used much more than in Portuguese. Did you have any idea about this word? I hope you enjoyed the article! We appreciate the comments and shares.
The infinite flexibility of the Japanese language
It is not wrong to elongate a verb or expression by repeating its conjugation. Someone could write, for example: 食べられられられられられられられられ…られる or おいしくなくなくなくなくなくなくなく…ない to create some effect in the expression.
The Japanese language is quite flexible when it comes to word formation. There is no space in the Japanese language; words are mostly classified when they are between particles and verbs.
Many times a dictionary ends up placing entire expressions as a single word. Do you remember another gigantic Japanese word to share with us? We appreciate the comments and shares, and I hope you enjoyed the article.
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