How to say "captain" in Japanese

• キャプテンJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe general loanword for 'captain', typically of a sports team, club, or similar group; it does not by itself specify a ship, aircraft, or military rank.
  キャプテンは静しずかにするように命めいじた。↗

  The captain commanded silence.
• 艦長かんちょうCommon
  nounThe captain of a warship: the officer in command of the vessel. It denotes the position aboard a specific warship, not a military rank.
• 大尉たいいCommon
  nounA military rank: captain in the army, marine corps, and air force, but lieutenant in the navy and flight lieutenant in air forces such as the RAF.
  少佐しょうさは大尉たいいの上官じょうかんである。↗

  A major is above a captain.
• 機長きちょうCommon
  nounThe captain of an aircraft, the pilot in command of a flight; use it in air-travel contexts, not for ships or for military ranks.
  機長きちょうは気象きしょう訓示くんじを受うける為ために気象きしょう室しつへ行いく。↗

  The captain will go to the meteorological office to get a weather briefing.
• 一尉いちいCommon
  nounThe rank name used in the Self-Defense Forces: captain in the ground and air branches, lieutenant (senior grade) in the maritime branch.

Use 「キャプテン」 for the general sense, as of a sports team; 艦長 for a warship's captain; 機長 for an aircraft's captain; and 大尉 or 一尉 for the military rank, the latter in the Self-Defense Forces.

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

• キャプテンcaptain
• 艦長かんちょうcaptain (of a warship)
• 大尉たいいcaptain (Army, US Marine Corps, USAF)
• 機長きちょうcaptain (of an aircraft)
• 一尉いちいcaptain (JASDF, JGSDF)
• キャップleader
• 艇長ていちょうcaptain (of a midget submarine, torpedo boat, etc.)
• 一等海佐いっとうかいさcaptain (JMSDF)
• 一佐いっさcolonel (JASDF, JGSDF)
• 大佐たいさcolonel
• 空尉くうい(Self Defense Force's Air Force) captain (defence)
• 主将しゅしょうcaptain (of a team)
• カピタンcaptain (of a European ship; Edo period)
• 頭あたまleader