How to say "item" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounCovers 'item' in the broadest everyday sense: a thing, a piece of merchandise, or a single entry in a game or list. Loanwords are natural in casual and commercial contexts.
- 項目こうもくnounBest for an entry, heading, or category in a document, form, or list — the discrete lines you read down a menu or questionnaire. For this sense it is usually preferable to アイテム.これは何の項目に入るか。↗What heading does this come under?
- nounGlossed 'item', but its core sense is article or goods, i.e. merchandise; for most other senses of 'item' this is seldom the word you want. Choose it when speaking of wares or articles for sale.
- 要素ようそnounAn item understood as one component or factor within a larger set — an element of a list or system. Use it when the emphasis is on the part's role in the whole, not on the entry itself.
- 事項じこうnounAn item of business: a matter, point, or set of facts to be dealt with, as in agenda items or stated requirements. It suits formal, written, or administrative contexts.
Use 「アイテム」 for a generic thing or entry, 項目 for a listed heading or category, 要素 for a component in a list or set, and 事項 for a matter to consider; 「しな」 is mainly 'goods' rather than 'item'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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