How to say "logic" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 論理ろんりnounThe default word for logic as reasoning or a field of study, from formal logic to the logic of an argument; for 'logic' plain and simple, this is the word you want.
- nounThe loanword, largely interchangeable with 論理; it often has a technical flavor, fitting talk of the logic behind a system, an argument, or a piece of reasoning.
- 理りnounCovers reason and principle more than logic proper; on its own it is abstract, and for the ordinary sense of 'logic' it is seldom the word you want.
- 理屈りくつnounThe reasoning or rationale one argues with, closer to 'the logic of your argument' than to logic as a discipline; it often carries a shade of quibbling or hair-splitting.
- 道理どうりnounLogic in the sense of what is reasonable and right — natural sense or fair principle; it asks whether something makes sense or holds up as reasonable, not whether an argument is formally valid.
Use 論理 or the loanword 「ロジック」 for logic as reasoning or a discipline; 理, 理屈, and 道理 instead cover principle, argued reasons, and what is reasonable or makes sense.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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