How to say "appearance" in Japanese

• 出演しゅつえんJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThis is 'appearance' in the sense of a performer taking part in a film, play, or TV show — an actor's or guest's appearance. It never refers to how something looks.
  我々われわれは丸まる一いちヶ月かげつ間かん、ブロードウェーで出演しゅつえん予定よていです。↗

  We're booked for the whole month on Broadway.
• 出現しゅつげんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers 'appearance' as the coming or emergence of something new — the appearance of a new phenomenon, technology, or problem. It is about something arriving on the scene, not about looks or stage entrances.
  そうした高層こうそうビルが出現しゅつげんする前まえは、町まちの全すべての建物たてものが相互そうごに特別とくべつな関係かんけいを持もって建たっていたのである。↗

  Before the arrival of this skyscraper, all the buildings in the city stood in special relationship to each other.
• 登場とうじょうJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers a character's entrance on the stage and the appearance of a person or thing in a book, film, or similar work; unlike 出演, it concerns the character or thing that appears.
  その女優じょゆうは舞台ぶたいに３度ど登場とうじょうした。↗

  That actress made three entrances onto the stage.
• 観かんJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)Glossed 'look; appearance', but essentially a word-forming element found in compounds rather than an independent noun; seldom the word you want to say 'appearance' by itself.
• 状じょうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)Glossed 'form; shape; appearance', but like 観 it works chiefly as an element inside compound words; on its own it is seldom how you would say 'appearance'.

Use 出演 for a performer's appearance in a film or show, 登場 for a character's entrance or a thing's appearance in a story, 出現 for something new emerging, and treat 観 and 状 as compound elements, not standalone words.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 出演しゅつえんappearance (in a film, play, TV show, etc.)
• 出現しゅつげんappearance
• 登場とうじょうentrance (on the stage)
• 観かんlook
• 状じょうform
• 出席しゅっせきattendance
• 風合いふうあいtexture (cloth, fabric, paper)
• 態たいcondition
• 状態じょうたいstate
• 出頭しゅっとうappearance
• 発露はつろappearance
• 現出げんしゅつappearance
• 世間体せけんていappearance (in the eyes of society)
• 見た目みためappearance
• 発現はつげんrevelation
• 風格ふうかくpersonality
• 容態ようだいcondition
• 出場しゅつじょうparticipation (in a tournament, match, race, etc.)
• 象しょうform
• 体ていappearance
• 佇まいたたずまいappearance
• 構えかまえstructure
• なりstyle
• 姿形すがたかたちappearance
• 見てくれみてくれappearance
• 風体ふうていappearance
• アピアランスappearance
• 外目そとめappearance
• 風采ふうさいappearance
• 風姿ふうしappearance
• 見目みめappearance
• 見場みばappearance
• 仮相かそうappearance
• 体貌たいぼうappearance
• 見目形みめかたちappearance
• 見付きみつきappearance
• 形姿なりすがたappearance
• 概がいappearance
• 形相けいそうform
• ビジュlook (of a person, esp. an idol)
• お出ましおでましpresence
• 相好そうごうfeatures
• 相そうaspect
• 骨柄こつがらbuild
• 仮象かしょうsemblance
• 形貌けいぼうlooks
• 美容びようbeauty
• 容姿ようし(physical) appearance (of a person)
• 体裁ていさい(outward) appearance
• 風貌ふうぼう(a person's) appearance
• 身だしなみみだしなみ(personal) appearance
• 容貌ようぼうlooks
• ふりappearance
• 風ふうappearance
• 格好かっこうappearance
• 姿すがたappearance
• 様さまstate
• 形かたちvisage
• 様子ようすappearance
• 作りつくりappearance (attire, make-up, etc.)
• つきimpression
• 表情ひょうじょうlook
• 趣おもむきappearance
• 風情ふぜいappearance
• 面目めんぼくappearance
• 露出ろしゅつ(media) exposure
• 形容けいようform
• 押し出しおしだしpresence
• 像ぞうfigure
• 訪れおとずれarrival (e.g. of spring)
• 降臨こうりんarrival (of an important person)
• 見る目みるめappearance
• アウティングouting (in a sporting event)
• 作りづくりform
• 色しょく(outward) appearance
• め(an) appearance
• 色いろappearance
• 表おもてappearance
• 看板かんばんappearance
• 目先めさきappearance
• 名なpretext