How to say "emotion" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 感情かんじょうno-adjectiveThe general word for emotion: feelings such as joy, anger, or sadness regarded as states of mind. When you simply mean someone's emotions or feelings, this is the word to reach for.
- 情緒じょうちょno-adjectiveEmotion and feeling, with a nuance of delicate, refined sensibility; it tends to suggest the emotional quality or atmosphere of a scene or experience rather than a person's passing moods.
- 情じょうnounOn its own, 情 leans toward sentiment in the sense of human warmth — sympathy and compassion — rather than emotion in general; for ordinary talk about emotions, 感情 is the safer choice.
- 情感じょうかんnounFeeling and sensitivity: the capacity to feel and respond emotionally, or the emotional depth of a performance or work of art. It is not the word for particular emotions such as joy or anger.
- 恋愛れんあいsuru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveThe word for romantic love and romance. Its link to 'emotion' is only the sense 'tender passion'; it is not a general word for emotion, so it will seldom be what you want.
Use 感情 for emotion in general; 情緒 and 情感 are narrower words for emotional sensibility, delicacy, or depth; 情 leans toward sentiment and compassion; 恋愛 means romance, not emotion.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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