gaijin

noun

gai·​jin ˈgī-(ˌ)jēn How to pronounce gaijin (audio)
-(ˌ)jin
plural gaijin
: a foreigner in Japan

Examples of gaijin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Japan, a gaijin (foreigner) is on their own. — Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026 Teams play in most of the major tourist destinations all over the country, the tickets are cheap, and the friendly fans tolerate gaijin, or foreigners. — Byron Tau, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2018 Some gaijin, like Kelly Luce and Pico Iyer, had been touched by Japanese culture deeply enough to write about it. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 30 Apr. 2020 Mercifully, the gaijin of it all isn’t used to poke fun at Japanese customs, or to raise an eyebrow at the country’s unorthodox solution to the social crisis at hand. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gaijin

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Japanese, from gai- "outer, foreign" + -jin "person"

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gaijin was in 1968

Rhymes for gaijin

See All Rhymes for gaijin

Browse Nearby Words

gaiety
gaijin
gail
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gaijin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaijin. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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