How to say "hymn" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 賛美歌さんびかnounCovers 'hymn' in its religious sense: a Christian hymn sung in worship, and by extension a psalm. This is the word for an actual hymn sung in church.朝の礼拝は賛美歌ではじまった。↗The morning service began with a hymn.
- 聖歌せいかnounCovers 'hymn' as sacred song in general: religious songs and chants, not limited to congregational hymns. A natural choice when 'hymn' overlaps with 'sacred song' or 'chant'.
- 賛歌さんかnounA song of praise rather than a church hymn: it matches 'hymn' mainly in the figurative sense of a paean to something, and also covers 'eulogy'. For hymns of worship, 賛美歌 is the word.
Use 賛美歌 for church hymns and psalms, 聖歌 for sacred songs and chants more broadly, and 賛歌 for songs of praise, especially the figurative 'hymn to something' sense.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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