How to say "hammer" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe loanword for the tool itself, usually a Western-style hammer with a metal head for driving nails; typical in hardware and do-it-yourself contexts.
- 槌つちnounThe general word for a hand-held striking tool: it covers hammers, mallets, sledgehammers and a judge's gavel, and is the natural choice when the tool is a wooden mallet.
- nounA hammer with a metal head, as opposed to a wooden mallet; idiomatically it can also mean a person who cannot swim, so rely on context.
- 教え込むおしえこむgodan verb, transitive verbThe verb for the figurative sense: to hammer something into someone, that is, to teach it thoroughly or instill it through repetition; it has nothing to do with the physical tool.
For the physical tool, choose between the loanword 「ハンマー」, the general 槌, and 「かなづち」 (a metal-headed hammer); for the figurative 'hammer (into)', meaning to teach thoroughly, use 「教え込む」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
