How to say "particle" in Japanese

• 粒子りゅうしCommon
  nounA tiny piece of matter: the word for a physical particle or grain, as in dust floating in the air. For any particle of material substance, this is the word to reach for.
  空気くうき中ちゅうのごく小ちいさい粒子りゅうしがガンのもとになり得うる。↗

  Tiny particles in the air can cause cancer.
• 微塵みじんJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounReally 'a shred' or 'an iota' — a minuscule piece — rather than a particle of matter. Seldom the word you want for 'particle'; it appears chiefly in negative phrases meaning 'not the slightest bit'.
• 助詞じょしJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe grammatical sense: a particle in Japanese grammar — a small word that follows a main word and works as an auxiliary to it. Use this when 'particle' refers to grammar, not to bits of matter.
  中国語ちゅうごくごにおいては「テンス」を表あらわす場合ばあいには上述じょうじゅつのように「助詞じょし」か「時じを表あらわす語ご」または文脈ぶんみゃくによるものが多おおい。↗

  When indicating 'tense' in Chinese, as shown above, there are 'particles', 'time-specifying words' and also many cases where it depends on context.
• 素粒子そりゅうしCommon
  nounThe physics term for an elementary particle, one of the fundamental units of matter. Use it when 'particle' refers to elementary particles in physics, not to ordinary bits of material like dust.

Use 粒子 for a physical particle or grain, 素粒子 for an elementary particle in physics, 助詞 for the grammatical particles of Japanese, and 微塵 only when 'particle' really means a tiny bit or iota.

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

• 粒子りゅうしparticle
• 微塵みじんparticle
• 助詞じょしparticle
• 素粒子そりゅうしelementary particle
• 助辞じょじparticle (in Japanese)
• パーティクルparticle
• 微分子びぶんしparticle
• 質点しつてんpoint mass
• 微粒びりゅうgranule
• 不変化詞ふへんかしindeclinable
• 微片びへん(fine) particle
• 分子ぶんしparticle