How to say "bench" in Japanese

• ベンチJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe everyday word for a bench: a long seat for several people, as in a park or at a bus stop. When English 'bench' means such a seat, this is the word to use.
  私わたしたちは公園こうえんのベンチに座すわった。↗

  We sat on the bench in the park.
• 縁台えんだいCommon
  nounA simple wooden bench in the traditional Japanese style, used in gardens and on verandas — for sitting out and enjoying the evening cool, for instance. Not the word for an ordinary park bench.
  お庭にわの方ほうにも縁台えんだいを並ならべれば、かなり座席数ざせきすうを確保かくほできそうだなーと思おもいました。↗

  I thought that if we lined up benches in the garden as well, we could achieve quite a seating capacity.
• 腰掛けこしかけJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounEssentially a word for a seat or stool — a simple place to sit down. Its 'bench' sense is secondary, so for a park bench ベンチ is the safer choice.
  君きみが座すわっている腰掛こしかけのペンキはまだ塗り立ぬりたてだよ。↗

  The paint on the seat on which you are sitting is still wet.
• 椅子いすJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe usual word for a chair, covering seats and stools as well. Its 'bench' sense is marginal — for a bench in the English sense, ベンチ is what you want.
  ちょっと椅子いすをずらしてくれない？↗

  Could you move the chair a bit?

For an ordinary bench in a park or stadium use 「ベンチ」; 縁台 is a simple wooden bench for gardens and verandas; 「腰掛け」 and 椅子 really mean seat and chair respectively, with bench only a secondary sense.

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

• ベンチbench
• 縁台えんだいbench
• 腰掛けこしかけseat
• 椅子いすchair
• 腰掛け台こしかけだいbench (i.e. for bathroom)
• 段丘だんきゅうterrace
• 長椅子ながいすcouch
• 床榻しょうとうbed