How to say "legend" in Japanese

• 伝説でんせつJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe default word for 'legend': a traditional tale, often marvelous or unverified, about a person, place, or event — local legends, heroic legends, urban legends.
  その歌うたは伝説でんせつに由来ゆらいする物ものだった。↗

  The song descended from a legend.
• ストーリーCommon
  nounA loanword that really means 'story' — the plot of a film or novel, or an account of events. Its 'legend' gloss is marginal; it is seldom the word you want for a traditional legend.
  今回こんかい発売はつばいされたアルバムは、ストーリー仕立したてになっていて力作りきさくだ。↗

  Her latest album is a tour de force. It even has a storyline.
• 伝承でんしょうCommon
  suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveLooks at 'legend' as something handed down: tales, customs, or knowledge transmitted from the past, often orally. Use it when the emphasis falls on the transmission or on folklore as a whole.
• 昔話むかしばなしCommon
  nounAn old tale or folk tale handed down among the people, often told to children. It fits 'legend' only in the folk-tale sense, not legends of real people or places.
• 言い伝えいいつたえCommon
  nounA belief, saying, or piece of lore passed on by word of mouth — weather lore, taboos, rules of thumb. As 'legend' it leans toward such oral traditions rather than grand tales of heroes.

Use 伝説 for a legend as a famous traditional tale, 伝承 or 「言い伝え」 for lore handed down orally, 昔話 for old folk tales, and 「ストーリー」 only for 'story' in the ordinary narrative sense.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 伝説でんせつlegend
• ストーリーstory
• 伝承でんしょうhanding down (information)
• 昔話むかしばなしold tale
• 言い伝えいいつたえtradition
• キャプションcaption
• 説明せつめいexplanation
• 物語ものがたりstory
• レジェンドlegend
• 伝えつたえlegend
• 古伝こでんlegend
• 伝でんlegend
• 伝え話つたえばなしlegend
• 口碑こうひoral tradition
• 先祖伝承せんぞでんしょうwhat has been (orally) handed down from generation to generation
• 語り草かたりぐさstory
• 故事こじtradition
• 凡例はんれいlegend (on maps, drawings, etc.)