How to say "bible" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 聖書せいしょnounThe word for the Bible as scripture: the Christian holy book, the Old and New Testaments. Use it when you mean the religious text itself, in religious, historical, or literary contexts.
- nounThe loanword from English. It can refer to the Bible itself, but its distinctive use is figurative: a trusted, definitive guide or reference book — the kind of well-worn guidebook someone calls their bible.
Use 聖書 for the Bible itself as Christian scripture; 「バイブル」, borrowed from English, can also name the Bible but is the word to reach for when 'bible' figuratively means a trusted, definitive guidebook.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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