How to say "emphasis" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 強調きょうちょうnoun, suru verb, transitive verbEmphasis as an act: stressing a point in speech or writing so that it stands out, or highlighting and underlining something. Fits 'lay emphasis on' and 'with emphasis'.
- 重点じゅうてんnounEmphasis as the key point: the part of a plan, argument, or activity that matters most and receives the most attention or effort, as in 'put the emphasis on safety'.
- 重きおもきnounFigurative 'weight': the importance or stress given to one thing over others. It appears chiefly in the phrase 重きを置く, 'to place weight on', for saying what one treats as most important.
- 力点りきてんnounThe point on which force or stress is concentrated: it names where an argument, policy, or work presses hardest — emphasis viewed as a location rather than an act.
- 中心ちゅうしんno-adjectiveSeldom the word you want for 'emphasis': it means the center, middle, or heart of something, as in the middle of a city or the heart of a problem — not the act of stressing.
Use 強調 for stressing or highlighting something, 重点 for the key point of one's efforts, 「重き」 for the weight or importance attached to something, 力点 for the point where force concentrates, and 中心 not for emphasis but for 'center'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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