How to say "fighter" in Japanese

• ファイターCommon
  nounThe loanword, used much as in English: a person who fights, as in combat sports, or figuratively someone with a fighting spirit who keeps struggling.
• 闘士とうしCommon
  nounA person who fights devotedly for a cause or ideal — a militant, a champion of it; also used of a boxer. Typical language for activists and reformers who keep battling for their beliefs.
• 戦闘機せんとうきCommon
  nounStrictly the aircraft: a military plane built for air combat — the word behind 'fighter jet'. It never refers to a person; use it when English 'fighter' means the warplane.
  わが戦闘機せんとうきの延のべ出撃しゅつげき機数きすうは平均へいきん１日にち４３０機きであった。↗

  Our fighters averaged 430 missions a day.
• 戦闘員せんとういんCommon
  nounA combatant: a person who takes part in fighting as a member of an armed force or organization. It points to the human fighters themselves, not to weapons or machines.
  近代きんだい戦せんの戦術せんじゅつは兵士へいしが戦闘員せんとういんとして効果的こうかてきな働はたらきをするために必かならずしも十分じゅうぶんに武装ぶそうすることを必要ひつようとはしていない。↗

  The art of modern warfare does not necessarily require soldiers to be armed to the teeth to be effective as combatants.

Use 戦闘機 for the aircraft, 戦闘員 for a human combatant in an armed force, 闘士 for a devoted fighter for a cause or a boxer, and 「ファイター」 as the loanword, used much as in English.

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

• ファイターfighter
• 闘士とうしfighter (for)
• 戦闘機せんとうきfighter (aircraft)
• 戦闘員せんとういんcombatant
• 格闘家かくとうかmartial artist