How to say "arithmetic" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 算数さんすうnounArithmetic as the elementary-school subject: basic calculation with numbers. This is the word you want when English 'arithmetic' means doing sums, as opposed to mathematics as a discipline.
- 数理すうりnounDespite the gloss 'arithmetic', this is seldom the word you want for that sense: 数理 really refers to mathematical principles — mathematics as a field — rather than the everyday skill of calculation.
Use 算数 for arithmetic in the everyday sense — the school subject and basic calculation; 数理, despite its 'arithmetic' gloss, really points to mathematical principles, figures or accounts, and is seldom the word for simple arithmetic.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
