I assume there's a big difference between an original name and an English name for a nation. Then, where does the English term "Japan" come from?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Good question! The origin of the name Japan is not certain, but it's not English in origin! It probably came from the Malayan word "Japung" or the Chinese "Riben." In Japan itself, the Japanese call their country "Nippon." You're right in saying that the original and English names of countries can be very different! Some other examples: China, which is called "Zhongguo" in Chinese, and South Korea, which is called "Hanguk" in Korean.

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