How to say "collision" in Japanese

• 衝突しょうとつJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe default word for collision: crashes between vehicles, ships, or people, and figurative clashes between opinions or interests. When in doubt, this is the word to reach for.
  車くるまがトラックに衝突しょうとつした。↗

  The car collided with a truck.
• ぶつかり合いぶつかりあい
  nounEmphasizes mutual collision—things or people crashing into each other from both sides. Less common than 衝突 and best when the reciprocal, back-and-forth nature of the clashing matters.
• コリジョン
  nounA loanword used mainly in technical fields such as programming and networking, e.g. data or signal collision. Rarely used for everyday physical crashes; for those, 衝突 is the word you want.
• ぶつかり
  nounA kana-written noun for bumping or running into something, often one-sided or incidental. It is less common and usually sounds like part of a larger expression rather than the standalone word for 'collision'.
• アタリ
  nounRefers to collision or overlap of objects, especially in video games (hit detection). Outside gaming contexts it is seldom the word you want; use 衝突 for ordinary collisions.

Use 衝突 for most physical and figurative collisions; the remaining words cover narrower or specialized senses—mutual clashing, gaming overlap, or casual bumping—and are less common choices.

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

• 衝突しょうとつcollision
• ぶつかり合いぶつかりあいcollision
• コリジョンcollision
• ぶつかりcollision
• アタリcollision
• 激突げきとつcrash