Nikkei

American  

[nee-key] / ˈni keɪ /

noun

1. an index showing the average closing prices of 225 stocks on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

2. an American of Japanese descent.

---

Etymology

Origin of Nikkei

Borrowed into English from Japanese around 1980–85

Example Sentences

Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average closed 0.4% higher at a record high, supported by chip and tech stocks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The Nikkei 225 index in Japan gained by 2.6% while South Korea's Kospi exchange jumped by more than 3%.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

—Stocks in Asia were up as Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained 5.4%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 2.8%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Apple is dealing with issues in the engineering test phase of the foldable iPhone, which could lead to delays in its production and shipment schedule, Nikkei Asia reported, citing sources familiar.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Before the camps, Nikkei were trying to ride the American power like some surfers she saw once at Manhattan Beach, muscular men balancing on long, colored boards atop the rushing waves.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata