How to say "descriptive" in Japanese

• 記述的きじゅつてき
  na-adjectiveThe direct equivalent for 'descriptive' in its ordinary sense of giving an objective account of what something is like; it presents characteristics as they are, without evaluating them.
• 叙述用法じょじゅつようほう
  nounA grammar term, not a general adjective: it names the predicative or descriptive use of a word, contrasted with its attributive use, so it covers 'descriptive' only in that grammatical sense.
  不定ふてい詞しの形容詞けいようし的てき用法ようほうには２種類しゅるいあり、（１）限定げんてい用法ようほう、（２）叙述じょじゅつ用法ようほう。（２）はもちろん主格しゅかく補語ほごです。↗

  There are two ways of using the infinitive as an adjective, 1. attributive, 2. predicative. Naturally 2. is a subject complement.
• 叙事的じょじてき
  na-adjectivePrimarily means 'epic' or 'narrative', as of an epic poem; its 'descriptive' sense is secondary, so it is seldom the word you want for plain 'descriptive' — reserve it for narrative-style description.

Choose 記述的 for the ordinary sense 'descriptive' (giving an objective account); 叙述用法 is the grammar term for a word's predicative or descriptive use; 叙事的 chiefly means epic or narrative, only secondarily descriptive.

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

• 記述的きじゅつてきdescriptive
• 叙述用法じょじゅつようほうpredicative (use)
• 叙事的じょじてきepic (e.g. poem)