How to say "culture" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 文化ぶんかnounThe default word for culture as the arts, customs, ideas and way of life of a people; it can also mean 'civilization', and it is the choice for most general uses of the word.
- 培養ばいようnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'culture' in the biological sense: growing bacteria, cells or tissue under controlled conditions. If you meet 'culture' in a laboratory or medical context, this is the word.
- nounThe katakana borrowing of 'culture'. It turns up mainly in loanwords and set borrowed expressions; for culture in the ordinary sense of arts and way of life, 文化 is the word you want.
- 文明ぶんめいnounMeans 'civilization' first of all; it can render 'culture' chiefly where that word comes close to 'civilization', as in speaking of a society's overall development. For the arts-and-customs sense use 文化.
- 養殖ようしょくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbIts 'culture' is the aquaculture sense: the raising of fish, shellfish and other aquatic life. For culture in the sense of arts, ideas or way of life, this is not the word you want.
Use 文化 for culture as arts and way of life, 培養 for laboratory culture of bacteria or cells, 養殖 for farming aquatic life, 文明 when 'civilization' is meant, and 「カルチャー」 mainly in loanwords.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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