How to say "chair" in Japanese

• 椅子いすJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe usual word for a chair as a piece of furniture you sit on; it also covers seats in general, including stools and benches. This is the default choice for the furniture sense.
  ちょっと椅子いすをずらしてくれない？↗

  Could you move the chair a bit?
• 議長ぎちょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounNot furniture at all: this is 'chair' in the sense of the person who presides over an assembly or meeting — a chairman or chairperson. Never use it for something you sit on.
  私わたしたちはウッド氏しを議長ぎちょうに任命にんめいした。↗

  We appointed Mr Wood chairman.
• チェアCommon
  nounThe borrowed English word for a chair, covering the same furniture sense as 椅子. When you simply mean the piece of furniture, 椅子 is the usual choice.
• 委員長いいんちょうCommon
  nounAlso a person, not a piece of furniture: the chair of a committee, that is, its chairperson, chairman or chairwoman. Use this when 'chair' means the person who heads a committee.
  スミス氏しが後任こうにんの委員長いいんちょうとして発表はっぴょうされた。↗

  Mr Smith was announced as the succeeding chairman.

For the piece of furniture, choose 椅子 (or the loanword 「チェア」); for a person, 議長 is the chair of an assembly or meeting, while 委員長 heads a committee.

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

• 椅子いすchair
• 議長ぎちょうchair
• チェアchair
• 委員長いいんちょうchairperson (of a committee)