How to say "cohesion" in Japanese

• 粘着ねんちゃくCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers both 'cohesion' and 'adhesion'; the image is sticking through stickiness, as when a sticky substance holds together or clings to a surface. Typical of descriptions of sticky materials.
• 付着ふちゃくCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbChiefly 'sticking to' or 'clinging to': one thing adhering to the surface of another, as with dirt or dust. Its 'cohesion' gloss is marginal; for cohesion proper it is seldom the word you want.
  海うみの植物しょくぶつは海底かいていに付着ふちゃくして育そだつ。↗

  Marine plants grow on the sea bed.
• 凝集ぎょうしゅうCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers cohesion in the scientific sense: ions and similar particles holding together through mutual attraction. When 'cohesion' refers to like particles clustering rather than to sticky surfaces, this is the word.

For the scientific sense of cohesion—ions or like particles holding together—use 凝集; 粘着 implies sticking through stickiness and covers adhesion too, while 付着 chiefly means sticking or clinging to something and is marginal for cohesion.

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

• 粘着ねんちゃくcohesion
• 付着ふちゃくsticking to
• 凝集ぎょうしゅうcohesion (of ions, etc.)