How to say "enlargement" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 拡張かくちょうnoun, suru verb, transitive verbEnlargement as expansion or extension: making something larger in area, capacity, or scope, as when a road or a facility is extended. It implies adding to what exists rather than magnifying.
- 増大ぞうだいnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbEnlargement in the sense of increase: something growing in amount, degree, or intensity rather than in physical size. Use it when a quantity or force becomes greater, not when an object is made bigger.
- 肥大ひだいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbEnlargement of the body: a part or organ that swells or grows oversized, or a person or animal becoming fat. It is for physical, often medical enlargement, not for enlarging pictures or things.
- 拡大かくだいnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbEnlargement as magnification: making something visibly larger, especially images and photographs. It is the broad term for visual enlargement, from a picture on a page to a view through a lens.
- 引き伸ばしひきのばしnounSpecifically the enlargement of a photograph: making a larger print from an existing picture. For enlarging anything other than photographs, 拡大 is the word to use.
Choose 拡大 for magnifying images or scaling up, 拡張 for extending scope or capacity, 増大 for growth in amount or degree, 肥大 for swollen or fattened body parts, and 「引き伸ばし」 for photographic prints.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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