How to say "eternity" in Japanese

• 永遠えいえんJLPT N3approx.Common
  no-adjective, na-adjectiveThe usual choice for eternity as endless time — enduring love, eternal life, or a moment that feels it will never end; it also covers permanence and immortality.
  その画家がかは、いわば永遠えいえんの少年しょうねんだ。↗

  The artist is eternally a boy.
• 無限むげんJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounEssentially 'infinity' or 'boundlessness' — limitless extent, quantity, or degree; its 'eternity' sense is secondary, so choose it when the emphasis falls on the infinite rather than on time without end.
• 永久えいきゅうJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveStresses permanence and perpetuity — something meant to last forever — rather than eternity as a poetic or emotional idea; for that, 永遠 is the word you want.
  彼かれは永久えいきゅうに日本にっぽんを離はなれた。↗

  He left Japan for good.
• 万年まんねんCommon
  nounLiterally 'ten thousand years'; the 'eternity' sense is a figurative extension, and this is seldom the word you want — for eternity itself, 永遠 is the natural choice.
• 永世えいせいCommon
  nounMeans much the same as 永遠 and 永久 — eternity, perpetuity, immortality, permanence — but in an ordinary sentence it is seldom the word you want; 永遠 and 永久 cover these senses.

Choose 永遠 for eternity as endless time, 無限 for infinity or boundlessness, 永久 for permanence and perpetuity; 万年 literally means ten thousand years, and 永世 largely overlaps with 永遠 and 永久.

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

• 永遠えいえんeternity
• 無限むげんinfinity
• 永久えいきゅうeternity
• 万年まんねんten thousand years
• 永世えいせいeternity
• 万世ばんせいall ages
• 永代えいたいpermanence
• 千代ちよthousand years
• 永久とわeternity
• とこしえeternity
• 永劫えいごうeternity
• 無窮むきゅうeternity
• 久遠くおんeternity
• エタニティeternity
• 十万億土じゅうまんおくどeternity
• 常しなえとこしなえeternity
• 万世不易ばんせいふえきeternity
• 万代不易ばんだいふえきeternity
• 万劫ばんごうeternity
• 生々世々しょうじょうせぜeternity
• 万劫末代まんごうまつだいeternity
• 万代ばんだいthousands of years
• 末代まつだいall ages to come
• 百世ひゃくせいlong era
• 万古ばんこperpetuity
• 千古せんこall ages
• 八千年はっせんねん8000 years
• 千古不磨せんこふまpermanence
• 無始無終むしむしゅうeverlastingness
• 一期末代いちごまつだいthis world (life) and the next
• 万々年まんまんねんtens of thousands of years
• 千歳ちとせthousand years
• 千載せんざいthousand years
• 千代万代ちよよろずよfor ever and ever
• 常住じょうじゅうconstancy