How to say "opportunity" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 機きnounA chance or opportunity, but on its own this is seldom the word you want; it lives on mainly in set expressions, and for a chance or opportunity you will want 機会 or チャンス.
- nounOpportunity only in the sense of an incidental occasion: something you do while you are at it, alongside whatever you were already doing; not a general word for a chance.
- 折おりnoun, adverbAn occasion or juncture rather than a general chance: it points to a particular time at which to do something, the moment when the opportunity presents itself.
- 機会きかいnounThe all-purpose word for a chance or opportunity to do something; when you mean opportunity in the abstract, this is the word to reach for.またの機会にしましょう。↗Let's make it some other time.
- nounThe loanword for a chance, especially a favorable one you can seize or make the most of; the natural word when talking about getting, seizing, or missing a chance.
For a general chance or opportunity use 機会, or 「チャンス」 for a favorable one you can seize; 折 points to a particular occasion, 「ついで」 to an incidental one, and 機 on its own is seldom the word you want.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 機きchance
- ついでopportunity
- 折おりopportunity
- 機会きかいchance
- チャンスchance
- 契機けいきopportunity
- 機運きうんopportunity
- 時機じきopportunity
- 機縁きえんopportunity
- オポチュニティーopportunity
- 出端ではchance of going out
- 機宜きぎopportuneness
- 浮かぶ瀬うかぶせchance
- 時ときchance
- 期きopportunity
- 便びんopportunity
- 時刻じこくfavourable time
- 潮しおopportunity
- 時分じぶんsuitable time
- 時節じせつopportunity
- 潮時しおどきright time (to do something)
- 隙げきopportunity (to take advantage of)
- モーメントopportunity
- 潮合しおあいright time (to do something)
- 売れ口うれくちprospect (e.g. employment, marriage, etc.)
- 隙すきchance
- 瀬せchance
- 縁えんopportunity
See also
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