大和言葉(やまとことば)

やまとことば
noun
native Japanese words; words of Japanese origin
academiclanguage
1. native Japanese words; words of Japanese origin
Words that originated in the Japanese language before the introduction of Chinese loanwords (漢語) and Western loanwords (外来語). Also called 和語. These words are typically read with kun'yomi when written in kanji.
「花(はな)」は大和言葉(やまとことば)だ。
"Hana" (flower) is a native Japanese word.
大和言葉(やまとことば)には柔(やわ)らかい響(ひび)きがある。
Native Japanese words have a soft ring to them.
日本語(にほんご)の語彙(ごい)は大和言葉(やまとことば)、漢語(かんご)、外来語(がいらいご)の3つに大(おお)きく分(わ)けられる。
Japanese vocabulary is broadly divided into three categories: native Japanese words, Sino-Japanese words, and foreign loanwords.

Usage

大和言葉(やまとことば) (also called 和語(わご)) is the native vocabulary of Japanese, as distinct from 漢語(かんご) (Sino-Japanese words borrowed from Chinese) and 外来語(がいらいご) (loanwords from Western languages). Examples: 山(やま), 川(かわ), 空(そら), 美(うつく)しい, 食(た)べる, 歩(ある)く.

大和言葉(やまとことば) tends to sound softer and warmer than 漢語(かんご), which often sounds more formal or technical: 思(おも)いやり (大和言葉(やまとことば)) and 配慮(はいりょ) (漢語(かんご)) both mean consideration, but the native word feels warmer.

Common collocations

  • 大和言葉(やまとことば)の美(うつく)しさ (the beauty of native Japanese words)
  • 大和言葉(やまとことば)で表現(ひょうげん)する (to express in native Japanese words)
general
Added 2026.3.4 13:34 · Revised 2026.10.13 21:45
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