How to say "description" in Japanese

• 説明せつめいJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers description as an explanatory account — telling someone what something is or how it works. When 'description' means explaining a situation, procedure or object in words, this is the word to reach for.
  私に規則きそくを説明せつめいして下ください。↗

  Please explain the rule to me.
• 表現ひょうげんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers description as the act or manner of expressing something — how a scene or feeling is put into words or portrayed. It centres on expression itself rather than on explaining what a thing is.
  「潮時しおどきというものがある」という表現ひょうげんは実じつはシェイクスピアの「ジュリアス・シーザー」にある表現ひょうげんである。↗

  "There is a tide" is, in fact, from a passage in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
• 記述きじゅつJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbRefers to a description set down in writing — a written account of facts or appearances, as in reports or records. This is the closest match when 'description' means a piece of descriptive writing.
  この２つのエスニック・グループの態度たいどの相違点そういてんを記述きじゅつするだけでは十分じゅうぶんではない。↗

  It is not sufficient to describe the differences in attitude between these two ethnic groups.
• 形容けいようCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbDescribes the qualities of something in words — saying what a thing is like — and also covers grammatical modification of a noun by an adjective. Use it when the point is characterising rather than explaining.
  その王女おうじょは形容けいようできないほど美うつくしかった。↗

  The princess was beautiful beyond description.
• 銘柄めいがらCommon
  nounThis means the brand or make of a product, and matches 'description' only in the trade sense of identifying goods by brand. For describing something in words, it is not the word you want.
  彼女かのじょはあの銘柄めいがらが一番いちばんだと思おもっている。↗

  She swears by that brand.

Choose 説明 for an explanatory account, 記述 for a written description, 表現 for description as expression or portrayal, 形容 for describing qualities or grammatical modification, and 銘柄 only for the sense of a product's brand or make.

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

• 説明せつめいexplanation
• 表現ひょうげんexpression
• 記述きじゅつdescription
• 形容けいようdescription
• 銘柄めいがらbrand
• 描写びょうしゃdepiction
• 叙述じょじゅつdescription
• 筆舌ひつぜつwritten and spoken words
• 写生しゃせいsketching
• 説明書せつめいしょ(printed) instructions
• 名状めいじょうdescription
• ディスクリプションdescription
• 描出びょうしゅつdescription
• 描像びょうぞうdescription
• 叙景じょけいscenery
• ディスクライブdescribe
• 叙事文じょじぶんnarration
• 実写じっしゃdepiction of a real scene (in writing or a picture)