How to say "chemotherapy" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 化学療法かがくりょうほうnounThe standard, common way to say chemotherapy: treatment of disease, especially cancer, with chemical drugs. Suitable in any context, from everyday conversation to medical writing.
- 化療かりょうnounAn abbreviation of 化学療法 with the same meaning, but it is a less common word; you will mainly encounter it in medical or compact written contexts, and it is rarely the word learners need.
Use 化学療法 as the neutral, common term for chemotherapy in general; 化療 is a less common abbreviation meaning the same thing, mostly seen in medical or space-constrained contexts.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
