Some suggested translations of Japanese terms are listed below for informational purposes, although translations should adhere to guidelines and policies, particularly the manual of style for Japan-related articles.

Japanese to English translations

(in Japanese alphabetical order, by subject)

  • 明るく正しい選挙の推進 — akaruku tadashii senkyo no suishin; promotion of fair election
  • アクセス道路 — akusesu dōro; access road
  • 圧力団体 — atsuryoku dantai; pressure group; special interest group
  • 奄美群島振興開発事業 — amami guntō shinkō kaihatsu jigyō; Amami Islands Development Project
  • 安全衛生管理者 — anzen eisei kanrisha; safety and sanitation manager
  • 安全管理 — anzen kanri; safety control; safety management
  • 安全地帯 — anzen chitai; safety zone; safety island; traffic island
  • 安全厚生推進室 — anzen kōsei suishinshitsu; Safety and Health office
  • 委員会制度 — iinkai seido; committee system
  • 育児休業手当金 — ikuji kyūgyō teatekin; childcare non-work allowance
  • 育児休業法 — ikuji kyūgyōhō; Law for the Right to Take Leave from Post for Infant Rearing
  • 違憲立法審査権 — iken rippō shinsaken; judicial review of legislative constitutionality
  • 幹事長 — kanjichō; secretary-general
  • 国務大臣  — kokumu daijin; the Ministers of State
  • 参議院 — sangiin; House of Councillors
  • 衆議院 — shugiin; House of Representatives of Japan
  • 政調会長・政治調査会長(自民党) — seichō-kaichō / seijichō-sakaichō (jimintō); chairman of the Policy Research Council (LDP)
  • 総裁(自民党) — sōsai (jimintō); (party) president (LDP)
  • 総務会長(自民党) — sōmu-kaichō (jimintō) ; chairman of the general council (LDP)
  • 代表(民主党) — daihyō (jimintō); (party) president (DP)
  • 治安維持法  — chian ijihō; Peace Preservation Law

Addresses & Administrative Divisions

  • 字 — aza; section of a village or town
  • 大字 — ōaza; large section of a village or town
  • 区 — -ku; municipal ward, the 23 wards of Tokyo call themselves cities in English now.
  • 郡 — -gun; district
  • 県 — -ken; prefecture
  • 号 — -gō; building number
  • 市 — -shi; city
  • 支庁 — shichō; subprefecture (used only in Hokkaidō)
  • 丁目 — chōme; numbered city district
  • 都 — -to; "metropolis", metropolitan prefecture (used only for Tokyo)
  • 道 — -dō; "circuit", prefecture (used only for Hokkaidō)
  • 番地 — banchi; numbered city block (sometimes abbreviated to 番 ban)
  • 府 — -fu; urban prefecture (used only for Kyoto and Osaka)
  • 町 — -machi/-chō; town; also a submunicipal division
  • 村 — -mura/-son; village

Historical Events / Terms

  • 大目付 — ōmetsuke; inspectors general
  • 贈り名  — okurina; posthumous name
  • 華族 — kazoku; the nobility
  • 勘定奉行 — kanjōbugyō; commissioners of finance
  • 関東大震災 — kantō daishinsai; Great Kanto earthquake
  • 国 — (no) kuni; province
  • 石高 — kokudaka; Rice crop
  • 鎖国政策 — sakokuseisaku; seclusion policy (isolation policy)
  • 士農工商 — shinōkōshō; warriors/farmers/artisans/tradesmen
  • 親藩 — shinpan; the Tokugawa family
  • 政令 — seirei; order
  • 関が原の戦い — Sekigahara no tatakai; the battle of Sekigahara
  • 摂政 — sesshō; regency (摂政 Regent)
  • 外様 — tozama; outside daimyo
  • 幕藩体制 — bakuhan taisei; shogunate and domain system
  • 人質 — hitojichi; hostage
  • 藤原氏 — Fujiwara-uji; Fujiwara clan
  • 譜代 — fudai; family's vassals
  • 町奉行 — machibugyō; commissioners of major cities
  • 満州事変 — Manshū jihen; Manchurian Incident
  • 明治維新 — Meiji ishin; the Meiji Restoration
  • 老中 — rōjū; senior councilors
  • 若年寄 — wakadoshiyori; junior councilors

Business and Economics

  • 青色申告 — aoiro shinkoku; blue tax return
  • 青色事業専従者 — aoiro jigyō senjūsha; dependents of a taxpayer submitting a blue tax return
  • 赤字原因 — akaji gen'in; cause of deficit
  • 赤字鉄道路線 — akaji tetsudō rosen; deficit-ridden railway line
  • 赤字国債 — akaji kokusai; a national deficit loan
  • 赤字財政 — akaji zaisei; deficit finance
  • 赤字団体 — akaji dantai; local governments with financial deficit
  • 赤字公債 — akaji kōsai; deficit bond; deficit-covering national bond
  • 赤字バス路線 — akaji basu rosen; deficit-ridden bus route
  • 赤字予算 — akaji yosan; deficit budget
  • 赤字路線 — akaji rosen; deficit-ridden transport line
  • 圧縮記帳 — asshuku kichō; advanced depreciation
  • 斡旋 — assen; conciliation; arbitration; negotiation
  • アンダーパー発行 andā pā hakkō — issue at under par value
  • 八幡製鉄所 — Yawata seitetsusho/seitetsujo; Yawata Steel Works

Culture, the Arts, Religion

  • 育英資金 — ikuei shikin; student awards; student grants; (scholarship: fellowship)
  • 浮世絵 — ukiyoe; ukiyoe wood block printing
  • 浄土宗 — jōdoshū; the Pure Land sect
  • 俳句 — haiku; haiku
  • 雛人形 — hina ningyō; hina dolls
  • 文化勲章 — bunkakunshō; a Cultural Medal
  • 読み書きそろばん — yomikakisoroban;the three R's

Miscellaneous

  • 悪臭対策 — akushū taisaku; preventive measures against unpleasant odors

See also

External links