How to say "fallout" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe katakana loanword, used for the literal atomic or radioactive sense of 'fallout'—radioactive debris descending after a nuclear explosion or accident. It is a less common word, belonging to that technical nuclear domain.
- 降下物こうかぶつnounA Sino-Japanese word, こうかぶつ, literally 'things that fall down', covering fallout such as the radioactive kind. It pictures the material itself as it descends from the air; it is likewise a less common word.
Both words serve the literal radioactive sense of 'fallout'—debris from nuclear explosions or accidents—so the choice is between the katakana loanword 「フォールアウト」 and the Sino-Japanese 降下物; both are less common, and figurative senses need other words.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
