How to say "filter" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe common word for a filter of any kind — camera, air, coffee, or software — and also for figurative filtering of information; the default choice for almost every sense of the English word.
- 漉すこすgodan verb, transitive verbA less common verb, not a noun: it covers the action of filtering or straining a liquid — pouring it through paper or a sieve to remove solids — rather than the filter itself.
- 水嚢すいのうnounThis word really denotes a water bag; its 'filter' sense is marginal, so it is seldom the word you want for 'filter' — reach for it only when a water bag is meant.
- ろ波器ろぱきnounA less common technical term, essentially meaning a wave filter — a circuit that passes signals of certain frequencies and blocks others; for everyday filters, フィルター is the word instead.
- 濾過器ろかきnounA less common word for a device that filters liquid, also used for a strainer or colander; it fits physical filtration equipment rather than figurative or software senses, where フィルター is the natural choice.
For most senses of 'filter' — devices, software, figurative uses — use 「フィルター」; 「漉す」 is the verb for straining liquid; 「ろ波器」 is a technical wave-filter term, 濾過器 a liquid-filtering device, and 水嚢 really a water bag.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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