How to say "argument" in Japanese

• 議論ぎろんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbArgument as discussion or debate over an issue — an exchange of views that may turn into a dispute. This is the word you want for 'argument' meaning a debate rather than a quarrel.
  その議論ぎろんは穴あなだらけだ。↗

  The argument is full of holes.
• あらすじJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounHere 'argument' is the literary sense: the outline or summary of a story — the plot of a novel, play, or film. It has nothing to do with debating or quarrelling; usually written in kana alone.
• 口論こうろんCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbArgument in the quarrel sense — a heated verbal row between people. Use it when the argument is angry shouting, not reasoned debate over an issue.
  私わたしたちはまた昨夜さくやまた口論こうろんをした。↗

  We had words again last night.
• 論議ろんぎJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbArgument as debate or discussion of an issue, largely overlapping with 議論 in this sense. Either word fits when 'argument' means an exchange of views rather than a quarrel.
  その計画けいかくは詳細しょうさいに論議ろんぎされた。↗

  The plan was discussed in detail.
• 弁論べんろんJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveArgument as spoken debate: the act of debating or pleading a case orally. It points to the activity of arguing in words, not to a quarrel or a story outline.
  その学生がくせいは、自分じぶんの弁論べんろんに対たいして審査員しんさいんが批判的ひはんてきに述のべたことをひどく気きにした。↗

  The student took to heart the judge's critical comments on his speech.

For argument as reasoned debate pick 議論 (or 論議); for a heated quarrel use 口論; for oral debate or pleading use 弁論; and 「あらすじ」 is only the literary 'argument', a story's plot outline.

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

• 議論ぎろんargument
• あらすじoutline
• 口論こうろんquarrel
• 論議ろんぎdiscussion
• 弁論べんろんdiscussion
• 論法ろんぽうlogic
• 言い争いいいあらそいa quarrel
• 諍いいさかいquarrel
• 論戦ろんせんbattle of words
• 理路りろlogic
• 口喧嘩くちげんかquarrel
• 喧嘩けんかquarrel
• 争いあらそいfight
• 論争ろんそうdispute
• 論ろんargument
• 引数ひきすうargument (of a function)
• 争論そうろんargument
• 立論りつろんargument(ation)
• アーギュメントargument
• 論弁ろんべんargument
• レスバargument (on Twitter, etc.)
• レスバトルargument (on Twitter, etc.)
• 争いごとあらそいごとdispute
• すったもんだquarreling
• 意見書いけんしょopinion in writing
• 相論そうろんdebate
• 論陣ろんじん(construction of an) argument
• 論説ろんせつarticle
• 実引数じつひきすう(actual) argument
• 話はなしdiscussions
• 小競り合いこぜりあいsquabble
• 項こうargument
• 偏角へんかくargument (of complex number)
• 論判ろんぱんargument
• 理屈りくつ(unreasonable) argument