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Jap

(derogatory, now, historical) An Imperial Japanese Army soldier.

d͡ʒæpDocumented since 1870sSilenthistorical182 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~1872 · no dated citations yet
1872BornToday, 2026

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#1·Apr 27, 2026

(derogatory, now, historical) An Imperial Japanese Army soldier.

‘The telegram says “missing”.’’Nothing about “presumed drowned”?’ Sorrel asked.’Nothing.’’Then he could easily be a prisoner in the hands of the Japs,’ she persisted.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(dated, offensive, slang, ethnic slur) The Japanese language.

Origin: , attested as a noun since 1872, and adjectivally since 1878. Compare Nip (shortened from Nipponese). Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"Jap" means: The Japanese language.. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"Jap" means: The Japanese language.. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (dated) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(pejorative, ethnic slur, US) A Japanese person.

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