How to say "cylinder" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 気筒きとうnoun, counterRefers specifically to engine cylinders, as in talking about how many cylinders a car has. It is not used for cylinders in general.
- nounThe katakana loanword, covering mechanical cylinders such as those in engines and hydraulic equipment; a safe choice when the mechanical sense is meant.
- 円筒えんとうnounA cylinder as a shape or object, typically a hollow, tube-like one rather than a solid column. Used in describing cylindrical objects, especially in technical contexts.
- 筒つつnounA general word for a pipe or tube; its 'cylinder' sense is a loose one for any tube-shaped object. For precise mechanical or geometric senses, other words are usually better.
- 円柱えんちゅうno-adjectiveA solid cylinder — the three-dimensional shape with parallel circular faces — or a cylindrical column or shaft. It suggests a solid body rather than a hollow tube.
Use 気筒 for engine cylinders, 「シリンダー」 as the general loanword for mechanical cylinders, 円筒 for tube-like or hollow cylinders, 円柱 for a solid cylinder, column, or shaft, and 筒 loosely for tubes.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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