How to say "exploration" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 探検たんけんnoun, suru verb, transitive verbUse for exploration in the physical sense: travelling to unknown or little-known places, as in an expedition. It suits explorers venturing into distant regions rather than searching for a specific thing.
- 探索たんさくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers exploration as a search: hunting for something, combing an area, or a lookup. When 'exploration' means an expedition into unknown lands, this is not the word you want.
Use 探検 for the expedition sense of 'exploration'—travelling into unknown or little-known places—and 探索 for exploration as searching, hunting, or lookup for a target.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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