How to say "composition" in Japanese

• 曲きょくJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)Covers the musical sense: a piece of music, a song, or a track on a record. Choose this when 'composition' means a musical work by a composer.
  そのピアニストはアンコールに応こたえて２曲きょく弾ひいた。↗

  The pianist played two encores.
• 構成こうせいJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbRefers to the composition or makeup of something—how its parts are put together or arranged, as in the structure of a text, plan, or group.
  我々われわれのヨットクラブは１０人にんのメンバーで構成こうせいされている。↗

  Our yacht club has ten members.
• 編成へんせいCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers the composition or organization of a group or unit—how its members or parts are arranged and formed into a whole, as in the makeup of a team or staff.
  この列車れっしゃは七なな両りょう編成へんせいです。↗

  This train is made up of seven cars.
• 合成ごうせいJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveCovers composition in the sense of synthesis: combining separate substances or elements into one, as in chemical synthesis. It is not the word for a musical or written composition.
• 文章ぶんしょうJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounCovers the written sense: a piece of writing, an essay, or an article. This is the word for a school 'composition'—text you actually write, not music or structure.
  彼かれの文章ぶんしょうはとても主観的しゅかんてきだ。↗

  His writing is very subjective.

For a musical composition use 曲, for a written one 文章, for the makeup or structure of something 構成, for how a group is organized 編成, and for synthesis—combining things—合成.

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

• 曲きょくcomposition
• 構成こうせいcomposition
• 編成へんせいcomposition
• 合成ごうせいcomposition
• 文章ぶんしょうwriting
• 成分せいぶんingredient
• 構図こうずcomposition (of painting)
• 作曲さっきょくcomposition (of music)
• 組成そせいcomposition
• 作文さくぶんwriting (an essay, prose, etc.)
• コンポジションcomposition
• 布局ふきょくcomposition
• 組版くみはんtypesetting
• 節付けふしづけsetting to music
• 撰文せんぶんwriting (an epitaph, foreword, etc.)
• 文ぶんcomposition
• 吟ぎんcomposition (of a poem)
• 吟詠ぎんえいcomposition (of a Chinese or Japanese poem)
• 詠えいcomposition (of a poem)
• 筆硯ひっけんwriting
• 組くみtypesetting