How to say "director" in Japanese

• 社長しゃちょうJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounCovers 'director' meaning the president of a company — the person at the top who runs it. It is the natural word for a company head rather than for a board member.
  この会社かいしゃの社長しゃちょうは誰だれですか。↗

  Who is the boss of this company?
• 理事りじCommon
  nounCovers 'director' as a member of a governing board — a director or trustee of an organization, association, or foundation. Use this for the board position itself rather than the head of a company.
  彼かれらは彼かれを理事りじに任命にんめいした。↗

  They appointed him as a director.
• 役員やくいんCommon
  nounCovers 'director' in the corporate sense of an officer or executive of a company — a member of its management or board. It can refer to such executives individually or as a group.
  彼かれは役員やくいんの地位ちいをねらっている。↗

  He is aiming for the directorship.
• ディレクターCommon
  nounThe borrowed word, covering 'director' in media and production contexts such as film, television, and radio, and also used in business for someone directing a project or team.
• 院長いんちょうCommon
  nounCovers 'director' meaning the head of an institution — a hospital, academy, or similar establishment. Use it for the person in charge of the whole institution, as with the director of a hospital.

Choose by setting: 社長 for a company's president, 理事 for a board member, 役員 for a corporate executive, 「ディレクター」 for media and production roles, and 院長 for the head of a hospital or similar institution.

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

• 社長しゃちょうcompany president
• 理事りじdirector
• 役員やくいんdirector
• ディレクターdirector
• 院長いんちょうdirector (of a hospital, institution, academy, etc.)
• 長官ちょうかんsecretary (government)
• 館長かんちょうsuperintendent
• 演出家えんしゅつかdirector (of a film, play, etc.)
• 主事しゅじmanager
• 総務そうむgeneral affairs
• 尹いんdirector (of the ritsuryō-period Imperial Prosecuting and Investigating Office)
• 守かみdirector (of the provincial governors under the ritsuryō system)
• 台長だいちょうdirector (of an observatory)
• 事務総長じむそうちょうsecretary-general
• 担当部長たんとうぶちょうsenior manager
• 管理官かんりかんadministrator
• 重役じゅうやく(company) director
• 監督かんとくdirector
• 総長そうちょうsecretary-general
• 指揮者しきしゃcommander
• Ｄディーdirector
• 舵取りかじとりguidance