How to say "lump" in Japanese

• 塊かたまりJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe basic word for a physical lump, mass, or clump of material such as dough, clay, or metal. This is usually the word you want for a tangible lump of something.
  巨大きょだいな肉にくの塊かたまりが当あたった。↗

  I was hit by a huge chunk of meat.
• こぶCommon
  nounA bump, lump, or protuberance on a surface or on the body, such as a swelling from a blow. Use this for raised lumps, not lumps of material.
  ラクダは背中せなかのこぶに大量たいりょうの脂肪しぼうをためることができる。↗

  A camel can store a large amount of fat in the hump on its back.
• 団塊だんかいCommon
  nounA mass, lump, or clod, typically of compacted material such as earth. Less broadly applicable than 塊 for an everyday lump of something.
• 一括いっかつJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbRefers to lumping things together or summing them up, as in handling matters in a single batch. This is the abstract sense of 'lump', not a physical lump at all.
  それらの議題ぎだいは一括いっかつして取り上とりあげられた。↗

  Those agenda items were taken up en bloc for discussion.
• しこりCommon
  nounA lump or hardening in body tissue, especially a lump detected in the breast. This is the word to use for a medical lump found in the body.
  乳房ちぶさにしこりがあります。↗

  I have a lump in my breast.

Use 塊 for a physical lump or mass, 「こぶ」 for a bump or swelling, 「しこり」 for a lump in body tissue, 団塊 for a mass or clod, and 一括 for the abstract sense of lumping things together.

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

• 塊かたまりlump
• こぶbump
• 団塊だんかいmass
• 一括いっかつlumping together
• だまlump (of flour, etc.)
• 出っ張りでっぱりprojection
• 腫瘤しゅりゅうlump
• たんこぶbump (e.g. on forehead)
• ぶつ切りぶつぎりchunk
• 団子だんごlump
• しこりlump (in tissue, esp. breast)
• 団子状だんごじょうlump (of many different things)