How to say "porcelain" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 磁器じきnounThe precise term for porcelain as a material — hard, translucent fired ceramic — as opposed to pottery. Use it when discussing the material itself, its properties, or porcelain as a craft category.
- 瀬戸物せとものnounA general word for ceramic ware, especially tableware; porcelain is just one of its senses. Reach for it when talking about dishes or crockery, not when you must specify porcelain as a material.
- 焼き物やきものnounAn umbrella term for fired ceramics — pottery, earthenware and the like — with porcelain only one item in its range. It is seldom the word you want when you mean porcelain specifically; use 磁器.
- nounThe loanword for 'china', used mainly of china as tableware — the dishes themselves — rather than porcelain as a material. For the material or craft sense, 磁器 is the word to use.
Choose 磁器 for porcelain as a material or craft category; 瀬戸物 and 「焼き物」 are broader words for ceramic ware in which porcelain is only one sense; 「チャイナ」 is the loanword for china as tableware.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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