How to say "bass" in Japanese

• 低音ていおんCommon
  nounCovers bass as a quality of sound: low tones or a low voice. Choose it when the point is pitch — how deep a sound is — for example when talking about the bass in music.
• コントラバスCommon
  nounCovers bass as the instrument: the large string instrument also called the double bass or contrabass. Use it when bass refers to the instrument someone plays, not to low sound in general.

Use 低音 for bass as a quality of sound — low tones or a low voice — and 「コントラバス」 when bass names the instrument, the large string bass also called the double bass.

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

• 低音ていおんlow tone
• コントラバスcontrabass
• ベースbass
• バスbass
• バスbass (fish; esp. black bass)
• 最低音部さいていおんぶbass (line, part)