Why Nippon is called Japan
Last Updated (Monday, 25 August 2008 23:37) Monday, 04 August 2008 00:00
Native Japanese call their country Nippon, instead of "Japan". Japan is English name and originate from Zipangu,as Marco Polo call so. Actually, some of Japanese don't know why Nippon is called "Japan" in English. If they hear the reason, they can understand it easily. It means that t is hard to understand for foreigners. But I try it.
Nippon is written "??" in Kanji letters. Japanese keep to use same anji name for long time. Yes, the way to write country name isn't hanged. What is changed? It's simple, the way to pronounce is changed.
In old days, Japanese called their country name "Jippon" as same way to ronounce like "Ganjitsu:??", "Honjitsu:??".
Then, why Marco Polo didn't call "Jippon" instead of "Zipangu"? n fact, Marco Polo heared the name from Chinese, not from native Japanese. hinese added one more Kanji letter at the end of Jippon, which means, country:?", and it letter is pronounced "Guo". Finally, Marco Polo heared. the name of Japan "Jippon-Guo" and he wrote the name Zipangu.
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