Languages › Japanese "Mazu" in Translation Share Flipboard Email Print Moyan Brenn / Flickr / CC 2.0 Japanese Essential Japanese Vocabulary History & Culture Japanese Grammar By Namiko Abe Namiko Abe Japanese Language Expert B.A., Kwansei Gakuin University Namiko Abe is a Japanese language teacher and translator, as well as a Japanese calligraphy expert. She has been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on February 01, 2019 The Japanese word mazu, pronounced "MAHt-zoo", is translated to mean "first", or "in the first place", as well as "about" and "almost", depending on the context. Japanese Characters まず Example Mazu shukudai o shite kara, asobinasai.まず宿題をしてから、遊びなさい。 Translation: Finish your homework first, then play. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Abe, Namiko. ""Mazu" in Translation." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/mazu-meaning-and-characters-2028663. Abe, Namiko. (2020, August 26). "Mazu" in Translation. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/mazu-meaning-and-characters-2028663 Abe, Namiko. ""Mazu" in Translation." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/mazu-meaning-and-characters-2028663 (accessed March 22, 2023). copy citation