〜語(ご)

〜語(ご) is a highly productive suffix with two main meanings: "language" (attached to country/region names) and "word/term" (in academic and grammatical compounds).

Language names

• 日本語(にほんご): Japanese
• 英語(えいご): English
• 中国語(ちゅうごくご): Chinese
• 韓国語(かんこくご): Korean
• フランス語(ご): French
• 外国語(がいこくご): foreign language

WORD/TERM compounds

• 単語(たんご): vocabulary word
• 敬語(けいご): honorific language
• 主語(しゅご): subject (grammar)
• 述語(じゅつご): predicate (grammar)
• 用語(ようご): terminology

Usage

For language names, attach 〜語(ご) to the country or region name. Note that some languages use 語(ご) while others use different patterns: 手話(しゅわ) (sign language) does not use 〜語(ご). When 語(ご) means "word," it is primarily found in written or academic contexts.