How to say "constellation" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 星座せいざnounThe common word for a constellation: a named pattern of stars in the night sky, as in astronomy or stargazing — Orion, for example. This is the word you will almost always want.
- nounThe English word transcribed in katakana. It names the same thing but is less common; you may come across it in technical or specialist writing. In everyday talk, 星座 is the word you want.
- 星宿せいしゅくnounA less common word for constellation, tied to traditional East Asian astronomy and its division of the sky into star 'mansions', also met in astrology. For the ordinary sense, 星座 is the word.
Use 星座 for constellations in the ordinary sense — named star patterns like Orion; 「コンステレーション」 is the less common katakana loanword of technical prose, and 星宿 belongs to traditional East Asian astronomy.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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