How to say "biography" in Japanese

• 伝記でんきJLPT N2approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe general word for a biography or life story: a written account of someone's life, and the natural choice when speaking of such books, for example a life of a famous historical figure.
  彼かれの伝記でんきは全まったくの事実じじつに即そくして書かかれたものだ。↗

  His biography is quite true to life.
• 一代記いちだいきCommon
  nounAlso a biography, but with the nuance of recounting someone's whole life from beginning to end as a single story; often seen in the titles of works chronicling such a life.

For a biography in the ordinary sense—a written account of someone's life—伝記 is the usual choice; 一代記 also means a biography but frames one person's whole life as a continuous narrative, often in titles.

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

• 伝記でんきbiography
• 一代記いちだいきbiography
• バイオグラフィーbiography
• 紀伝きでんbiography
• 伝でんbiography