How to say "cycle" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe direct loanword, used for a cycle as a repeating sequence of events, such as an exercise or business cycle. The easiest choice when speaking of a 'cycle' as a named routine or pattern.
- 周期しゅうきnounRefers to the period or interval over which something regularly repeats, as in physics or chemistry. Use it when 'cycle' emphasizes the regular timing of a recurrence rather than the sequence itself.
- 循環じゅんかんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers circular movement or circulation, as in blood circulation or the flow of money through an economy. Choose it when 'cycle' implies something moving around a loop and returning to its start.
- 繰り返しくりかえしnounMeans repetition or iteration generally, not 'cycle' in a technical sense. It suits contexts where the point is simply that something happens over and over, and is often a looser way to render the idea.
- 回路かいろnounBasically means circuit or pathway; its 'cycle' sense appears mainly in fixed scientific names such as the Krebs cycle. It is seldom the word you want for everyday uses of 'cycle'.
Use 「サイクル」 for the borrowed English sense, 周期 for recurring periods, 循環 for circulating processes, 「繰り返し」 for repetition generally, and 回路 mainly in set scientific names like the Krebs cycle.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
