How to say "enzyme" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 酵素こうそnounThe usual word for an enzyme: a substance produced by living organisms that speeds up chemical reactions. It is used in scientific and medical contexts and in everyday talk about food and health.
- nounA katakana loanword with the same meaning as 酵素, but less common; for the enzyme sense, 酵素 is the word you will normally want.
For the enzyme meaning, 酵素 is the common word used in scientific, medical, and everyday contexts, while the katakana loanword 「エンザイム」 means the same thing but is less common, so 酵素 is normally the choice.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
