How to say "aviation" in Japanese

• 航空こうくうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers aviation as a field or industry — air travel and aircraft in general — rather than any single act of flying. This is the word you want when 'aviation' names the sector or domain.
  その航空こうくう専門家せんもんかは統計とうけいを詳細しょうさいに分析ぶんせきした。↗

  The aviation expert analyzed the statistics in detail.
• 飛行ひこうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbChiefly means flight or flying — the act of an aircraft moving through the air. It matches 'aviation' only in that concrete sense; for the industry or field, 航空 is the word to reach for.
  彼女かのじょは初はじめての飛行ひこうにたいへん神経質しんけいしつになっていた。↗

  She was quite nervous about her first flight.

Use 航空 for aviation as a field or industry; 飛行 primarily means flight or flying — the act itself — and suits 'aviation' only in that concrete sense of aircraft in flight.

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

• 航空こうくうaviation
• 飛行ひこうflight
• アヴィエーションaviation