How to say "handshake" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 握手あくしゅnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe common word for clasping someone's hand as a greeting or to mark agreement or congratulation. This is what you use when meeting a new business contact or being introduced to someone.
- nounA transliteration of the English 'handshake' with the same meaning. Being less common than 握手, it is seldom necessary; 握手 remains the natural choice in ordinary speech and writing.
- nounThe same English loanword with a different rendering of 'shake'; the meaning is identical to ハンドシェーク. It is likewise less common than 握手, which is normally the better choice in Japanese.
- nounA transliteration of the English phrase 'shake hands', covering both the action and the resulting handshake. It is less common and seldom the word you want: 握手 expresses the same ideas naturally.
握手 is the common word for the act of shaking hands; the three katakana loanwords are less common ways of saying the same thing, and 「シェークハンド」 in particular is seldom the word you want.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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