How to say "chance" in Japanese

• 機きCommon
  nounOn its own this is seldom the word you want for 'chance' — that meaning is really carried by 機会 or チャンス, and 機 appears chiefly as part of longer words.
  私わたしたちはその機きを最大限さいだいげんに利用りようした。↗

  We made the most of the opportunity.
• 機会きかいJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounUse this for 'chance' or 'opportunity' as an occasion or opening to do something — a chance to speak, to travel, or to meet someone. It overlaps closely with the loanword チャンス.
  またの機会きかいにしましょう。↗

  Let's make it some other time.
• きっかけJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThis is the chance that sets something off — a trigger, cue, or starting point rather than an opportunity in itself. Typical context: explaining what first led you to take up a hobby.
  彼かれ等らは彼かれに逃にげるきっかけを与あたえた。↗

  They gave him a chance to escape.
• チャンスJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe loanword for a chance or opportunity, typically a favorable one that you can seize and act on — the sense of 'having a chance' to do or achieve something.
  お願ねがいだ！俺おれにチャンスをくれ。↗

  Come on! Give me a chance.
• 運うんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounHere 'chance' means luck or fortune, not an opportunity: good or bad luck, or outcomes decided by chance rather than by skill. It is not the word for a chance to do something.
  遅おそかれ早はやかれ、彼かれの運うんは尽つきるだろう。↗

  Sooner or later, his luck will run out.

For a chance or opportunity to do something, use 機会 or 「チャンス」; for the chance that starts or triggers something, 「きっかけ」; for chance as luck or fortune, 運; 機 on its own is seldom the word you want.

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

• 機きchance
• 機会きかいchance
• きっかけchance
• チャンスchance
• 運うんfortune
• ついでopportunity
• 偶然ぐうぜんcoincidence
• 折おりopportunity
• 勝ち目かちめchance (of success)
• まぐれfluke
• 契機けいきopportunity
• 機運きうんopportunity
• 好機こうきgood opportunity
• フロックfluke
• 時機じきopportunity
• 可能性かのうせいpossibility
• 見込みみこみhope
• 浮かぶ瀬うかぶせchance
• 風の吹き回しかぜのふきまわしchance
• きかっけchance
• 巡り合わせめぐりあわせfortune
• 機縁きえんopportunity
• みぎりtime
• ご縁ごえんfate
• オポチュニティーopportunity
• 回り合わせまわりあわせ(turn of) fortune
• 時の運ときのうん(a matter of) chance
• ひょんなstrange
• 時ときchance
• 間かんgood opportunity
• 期きopportunity
• 便びんopportunity
• 時刻じこくfavourable time
• 潮しおopportunity
• 拍子ひょうしthe moment (of doing)
• 時分じぶんsuitable time
• 潮時しおどきright time (to do something)
• はずみmoment
• 隙げきopportunity (to take advantage of)
• モーメントopportunity
• 通り一遍とおりいっぺんchance (e.g. customer)
• 潮合しおあいright time (to do something)
• どうかしたslightest
• めchance (of success)
• 隙すきchance
• 瀬せchance
• 縁えんopportunity