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Japan

1570s, via Portuguese Japao, Dutch Japan, acquired in Malacca from Malay (Austronesian) Japang, from Chinese jih pun, literally "sunrise" (equivalent of Japanese Nippon), from jih "sun" + pun "origin." Japan lies to the east of China. Earliest form in Europe was Marco Polo's Chipangu.

japan (v.)

"to coat with lacquer or varnish" in the manner of Japanese lacquer-work, 1680s, from Japan. Related: japanned; japanning. Hence also japonaiserie (1896, from French). Japanned work being generally black, japanned took on a slang sense of "ordained into the priesthood."

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Definitions of Japan from WordNet
1
japan (n.)
lacquerware decorated and varnished in the Japanese manner with a glossy durable black lacquer;
japan (n.)
lacquer with a durable glossy black finish, originally from the orient;
2
japan (v.)
coat with a lacquer, as done in Japan;
3
Japan (n.)
a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean;
Synonyms: Japanese Islands / Japanese Archipelago
Japan (n.)
a constitutional monarchy occupying the Japanese Archipelago; a world leader in electronics and automobile manufacture and ship building;
Synonyms: Nippon / Nihon
From wordnet.princeton.edu

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