How to say "ignition" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 点火てんかnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe usual choice for the deliberate act of igniting something — lighting a burner, a match, or an engine. Use it when someone actively sets something alight.
- 着火ちゃっかnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbEmphasizes the moment something catches fire and starts burning; natural when talking about getting a fire going, such as charcoal or kindling taking the flame.
- 発火はっかnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers ignition as the onset of combustion, and is at home in scientific or technical descriptions of when a substance begins to burn; seldom the word for everyday lighting.
- 起爆きばくnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbFor 'ignition' in the sense of setting off an explosive — detonation or triggering. Not the word for lighting fires or starting engines.
- 引火いんかnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbMeans catching fire from a nearby flame — fire spreading to something — rather than the act of igniting; for 'ignition' itself it is seldom the word you want.
Use 点火 for the deliberate act of lighting something, 着火 for the moment fire catches, 発火 for combustion onset in technical contexts, 起爆 for detonating explosives, and 引火 for fire spreading from a nearby flame.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
