This is an overview of selected country names as spelt in kanji (ateji).
Country names in Japanese are usually spelt in katakana, as they were often translated from other languages, such as English, Portuguese or Spanish. Neighbouring Asian countries, as well as nations of historical significance to Japan, are spelt in kanji (China, Korea, the USA, etc.). Some countries have more than one name: England (英国 Eikoku) is often called イギリス (Igirisu), the USA (米国 Beikoku) is simply referred to as アメリカ (Amerika), Germany (独国 Dokukoku) is usually called ドイツ (Doitsu) and France (仏国 Fukkoku) フランス (Furansu).
The kanji employed in most foreign country names are ateji (当て字; 宛字, lit. “assigned characters”) which represent native or borrowed words phonetically, regardless of the meaning of the Chinese characters. They are marked with (a) in the table below.
Country names in Japanese are usually spelt in katakana, as they were often translated from other languages, such as English, Portuguese or Spanish. Neighbouring Asian countries, as well as nations of historical significance to Japan, are spelt in kanji (China, Korea, the USA, etc.). Some countries have more than one name: England (英国 Eikoku) is often called イギリス (Igirisu), the USA (米国 Beikoku) is simply referred to as アメリカ (Amerika), Germany (独国 Dokukoku) is usually called ドイツ (Doitsu) and France (仏国 Fukkoku) フランス (Furansu).
The kanji employed in most foreign country names are ateji (当て字; 宛字, lit. “assigned characters”) which represent native or borrowed words phonetically, regardless of the meaning of the Chinese characters. They are marked with (a) in the table below.
| Kanji | Kana - Romaji | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 豪州; 濠洲 | オーストラリア - Gōshō or Osutraria | Australia |
| 墺太利 (a) | オーストリア - Osutoria | Austria |
| 白耳義 (a) | ベルギー - Berugī | Belgium |
| 伯剌西爾 (a) | ブラジル - Burajiru | Brazil |
| 勃牙利 (a) | ブルガリア - Burugaria | Bulgaria |
| 柬埔寨; 柬蒲寨 (a) | カンボジア - Kanbojia | Cambodia |
| 加奈陀 (a) | カナダ - Kanada | Canada |
| 中国 | ちゅうごく - Chūgoku | China |
| 丁抹 (a) | デンマーク - Denmāku | Denmark |
| 埃及 (a) | エジプト - Ejiputo | Egypt |
| 仏国 | ふっこく - Fukkoku | France |
| 独国 | どくこく - Dokukoku | Germany |
| 英国 | えいこく - Eikoku | Great Britain |
| 希臘 (a) | ギリシャ; ギリシア - Girisha | Greece |
| 印度 (a) | インド - Indo | India |
| 衣蘭 (a) | イラン - Iran | Iran |
| 伊太利亜 (a) | イタリヤ - Itaria | Italy |
| 日本 | にほん; にっぽん - Nihon; Nippon | Japan |
| 韓国 | かんこく - Kankoku | Korea |
| 墨西哥 (a) | メキシコ - Mekishiko | Mexico |
| 蒙古 | もうこ - Mōko | Mongolia |
| 捏巴爾 (a) | ネパール - Nepāru | Nepal |
| 和蘭 (a) | オランダ - Oranda | Netherlands |
| 波蘭 (a) | ポーランド - Pōranda | Poland |
| 葡萄牙 (a) | ポルトガル - Porutogaru | Portugal |
| 羅馬尼亜 (a) | ルーマニア - Rūmania | Romania |
| 露西亜; 魯西亜 (a) | ロシア; ロシヤ - Rossia; Rossiya | Russia |
| 南阿共和国 (a) | なんあきょうわこく - Nanakyōwakoku | South Africa |
| 西班牙 (a) | スペイン - Supain | Spain |
| 瑞西 (a) | スイス - Suisu | Switzerland |
| 瑞典 (a) | スウェーデン - Suēden | Sweden |
| 泰国 | たいこく - Taikoku | Thailand |
| 土国 | どこく - Dokoku | Turkey |
| 米国 (a) | べいこく - Beigoku | United States of America |
| 越南 (a) | えつなん - Etsunan | Vietnam |
