How to say "castle" in Japanese

• 城郭じょうかくCommon
  nounThe castle as a fortified complex — moats, walls and keeps; the word you meet in historical and architectural writing, and it also covers citadels and fortresses.
• 城しろJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe general word for a castle, Japanese or European — Himeji, Osaka, a fairy-tale castle; when you simply mean 'castle', this is the word to reach for.
  その城しろは１６１０年ねんに建たてられた。↗

  The castle dates back to 1610.
• シャトーCommon
  nounA loanword from French for châteaux — the grand castles and country houses of France, also the wine estates named after them; the word to use when speaking of those.
• 楼閣ろうかくCommon
  nounA lofty multistoried building or pavilion, often with the flavor of Chinese towers and palaces; its 'castle' sense is marginal — seldom the word you want for a castle.
  君きみの計画けいかくは砂上さじょうの楼閣ろうかくに過すぎないよ。↗

  Your scheme is like a house built on the sand.

For a castle in general use 城; 城郭 is the fortified-complex term of historical and architectural writing; 「シャトー」 is for French châteaux; 楼閣 means a multistoried tower and is rarely 'castle'.

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

• 城郭じょうかくcastle
• 城しろcastle
• シャトーchâteau
• 楼閣ろうかくmultistoried building
• 城じょうcastle (in place names)
• キャッスルcastle
• 三柱門みはしらもんwicket (e.g. in cricket)
• 館やかたmansion
• 囲いかこいcastle