How to say "chain" in Japanese

• チェーンCommon
  nounA physical chain, especially the mechanical kind found in equipment: the chain of a bicycle, tire chains, a measuring chain. It is not used for abstract senses like a chain of events.
  彼女かのじょはドアにチェーンをかけてから、ちょっと開あけた。↗

  She put the chain on the door and opened it a crack.
• 鎖くさりJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA physical chain made of interlinked metal rings, especially one that fastens, binds, or restrains something. Use it for the chain as a physical object, not for figurative senses.
  ジョージはその犬いぬに鎖くさりをつけた。↗

  George put a chain on the dog.
• 連鎖れんさCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe figurative chain in which each thing triggers the next — a chain of events, a chain reaction, a chain of causes and effects. It never denotes a physical chain of metal.
  世界せかいの熱帯雨林ねったいうりんは、この惑星わくせい上じょうの生命せいめいが形成けいせいする生態学せいたいがく的てきな連鎖れんさの中なかで、かけがえのない環かんをなしているのである。↗

  The world's tropical rainforests are critical links in the ecological chain of life on the planet.
• 一連いちれんJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveA connected series of related things treated as one — 'a chain/series of' incidents or events. Unlike 連鎖, it simply groups items into one sequence and is not a physical chain.
  彼かれらは一連いちれんの音楽会おんがくかいを開催かいさいした。↗

  They gave a series of concerts.

For a physical chain, pick 「チェーン」 for the mechanical kind and 鎖 for linked metal that binds; figuratively, 連鎖 is a chain where each thing triggers the next, while 一連 is a connected series of related things.

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

• チェーンchain (bicycle, measuring, tire, etc.)
• 鎖くさりchain
• 連鎖れんさchain
• 一連いちれんseries
• 一続きひとつづきchain (of)
• 上下列じょうげれつchain
• 連環れんかんlinks
• 防材ぼうざいboom (navigational barrier)
• 連続技れんぞくわざcombo
• 脈みゃくchain (of mountains, etc.)