Standard Lemma guide

onsen

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɒnˈsɛn/
  • /ˈɒnsɛn/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A (Japanese) hot spring.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The hottest springs in Japan aren't in the north but at the Obama Onsen outside Nagasaki.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A Japanese-style resort hotel at a natural hot spring, offering on-site bathing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • We stayed at a traditional onsen with tatami, yukata, and kaiseki at Onyang outside Seoul.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Japanese 温泉 (onsen), from Middle Chinese 溫泉 ('won dzjwen, “hot springs”), from 溫 /温 (wēn, “warm”) + 泉 (quán, “spring[s]”). Compare the modern Mandarin pronunciation 溫泉 /温泉 (wēnquán).

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أُون-سِن (ʔon-sen) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Bulgarian: онсе́н (onsén) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Chinese Mandarin: 溫泉 /温泉 (wēnquán) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Finnish: onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • French: onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • German: Onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Indonesian: onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Japanese: 温泉 (onsen) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Khmer: អុនសេន (ʼonseen) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Korean: 온천 (oncheon) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Korean: 온센 (onsen) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Macedonian: онсе́н (onsén) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Marathi: ओनसेन (onsen) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Portuguese: onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Russian: онсэ́н (onsɛ́n) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Russian: онсе́н (onsɛ́n) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Serbo-Croatian: онсен — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Serbo-Croatian: onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Tagalog: onsen — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Thai: บ่อพุร้อน (bɔ̀ɔ-pú-rɔ́ɔn) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Thai: อนเซ็น (on-sen) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring
  • Ukrainian: онсе́н (onsén) — a Japanese hot spring; a Japanese-style resort hotel at a hot spring