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japan

/d͡ʒəˈpæn/
nounverb

Japan scores 14 Scrabble points; its meanings include a hard black enamel varnish, lacquerware, and the act of applying that varnish.

NWL Collins ENABLE Wordle guess list

Noun 2 meanings

  1. A hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt.

  2. Lacquerware.

Verb 1 meaning

  1. To varnish (something) with japan.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Japan, due to this varnishing process being an imitation of East Asian processes. Sense “to ordain” in reference to the black clothes worn by the clergy.

Japan is an English dictionary word with several related senses: a hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt, lacquerware, and the act of coating something with that varnish. The spelling also names a country, but the word-game entry is the lowercase material term. ENABLE, NWL2023, and Collins recognize it, so its playable status does not depend on treating a country name as a common noun.

Japan at a glance: score, status, and letter facts

  • Japan scores 14 points in Scrabble before board bonuses.
  • J supplies 8 points; A, P, A, and N supply 1, 3, 1, and 1.
  • Wordle accepts JAPAN as a guess, but not as an answer.
  • Rearranging its letters produces no anagrams.
  • JAWAN and SAPAN are its two one-letter neighbours.

What does Japan mean in word games?

Japan names a hard black enamel varnish containing asphalt. The noun also refers to lacquerware, while the verb means to coat an object with japan.

These senses connect a material with its use. The country name is a proper noun; the playable entry is the lowercase word for the varnish or lacquerware. For tournament play, check which national word list your game uses.

Wordle accepts JAPAN as a guess, but it is not an answer. That makes it a legal probe for testing letters, not a solution to expect.

Japan Scrabble score: where 14 points come from

JAPAN's base Scrabble total is 14: J is worth 8, P is worth 3, and each A and N is worth 1. The J supplies 8 of 14 points, more than half the tile value. A letter premium under J is the scoring lever; the other four tiles together contribute only 6.

Reordering the letters creates no anagrams, despite the repeated A. A second A does not automatically produce a playable alternate arrangement.

Only two words are one letter away: JAWAN and SAPAN. The pan rhyme group has 12 members, including SPAN, SAUCEPAN, and MARZIPAN; LIFESPAN and WINGSPAN extend that same sound into longer words. Rhymes are sound matches, not anagrams.

Among 12,789 five-letter words, 198 start with J and 519 end in N. JAPAN therefore begins with a less common starting letter than its final letter suggests.

Rhymes with japan

All rhymes
  • SPAN6
  • LIFESPAN13
  • SAUCEPAN12
  • WINGSPAN14
  • DEADPAN11
  • MARZIPAN21
  • TAIPAN8
  • DUSTPAN10
  • SAMPAN10
  • BEDPAN11
  • KIRPAN12
  • HARDPAN13

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • JAWAN15
  • SAPAN7

Questions people ask

Is JAPAN a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, JAPAN is valid in Scrabble. It is recognized by Collins and NWL2023, as well as ENABLE. Its game-word meaning is a hard black enamel varnish or lacquerware, rather than the proper name of the country.
How many points is JAPAN worth in Scrabble?
JAPAN is worth 14 points before board bonuses. The J is worth 8, the P is worth 3, and the two As and N are worth 1 each. Placing J on a letter premium square increases the turn's score.
Can JAPAN be a Wordle answer?
No, JAPAN is allowed as a Wordle guess but is not an answer. You can enter it to test its letters, but the game will not use it as the solution. The word's accepted status as a guess does not make it an answer.

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