How to say "intermediate" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 中間体ちゅうかんたいna-adjectiveA noun for an intermediate substance — something at a middle stage of a chemical process, used chiefly in chemistry. It is the broader term; 反応中間体 names the specific case of one formed during a reaction.
- 反応中間体はんのうちゅうかんたいnounThe specific term for a reaction intermediate: a substance formed and consumed in the course of a chemical reaction, between starting materials and products. Use this when that is exactly what you mean.
- 口入れ人くちいれにんnounA go-between or agent — a person acting as an intermediary, for example in hiring servants. It is seldom the word you want for 'intermediate': it really denotes the go-between, not the adjective 'intermediate'.
All three are nouns: use 中間体 for an intermediate substance in chemistry, 反応中間体 for a reaction intermediate specifically, and 「口入れ人」 only for a person acting as go-between or agent; none translates the adjective 'intermediate'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
