How to say "president" in Japanese

• 大統領だいとうりょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe president of a country — a head of state such as the President of the United States; use this for national presidents, not for companies, universities or clubs.
  大統領だいとうりょうは強硬きょうこう路線ろせんをとった。↗

  The President took a hard line.
• 会長かいちょうCommon
  nounThe president of a society or association; it also corresponds to 'chairman'. Typical contexts are clubs, societies and similar bodies, where English might use either 'president' or 'chairman'.
  協会きょうかいは彼かれを会長かいちょうにした。↗

  The society made him president.
• 総裁そうさいCommon
  nounThe head of an organization; also 'director general'. It is the word for the governor of a central bank and for a party leader, especially of the LDP.
  小泉こいずみが与党よとう自民党じみんとうの新しん総裁そうさいに選出せんしゅつされた。↗

  Mr Koizumi was elected the new president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
• 総長そうちょうCommon
  nounThe president of a university, corresponding also to 'chancellor' and 'vice-chancellor'. Use it when the president in question heads a university rather than a country, company or society.
• プレジデントCommon
  nounThe loanword, a direct borrowing of 'president'; it appears where the English title itself is used, but for a particular office it is seldom the word you want — choose the term for that office.

Match the office: 大統領 for a country's head of state, 総長 for a university, 会長 for a society or association, 総裁 for an organization, central bank or party, and 「プレジデント」 where the English title itself is kept.

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

• 大統領だいとうりょうpresident (of a country)
• 会長かいちょうpresident (of a society)
• 総裁そうさいpresident (of an organization)
• 総長そうちょうpresident (of a university)
• プレジデントpresident
• 議長ぎちょうchair
• 委員長いいんちょうchairperson (of a committee)
• 主宰者しゅさいしゃpresident
• 大総統だいそうとうPresident (of China; title used 1912-1924)
• 大学学長だいがくがくちょうpresident (of a university)
• 代表取締役だいひょうとりしまりやくrepresentative director
• 学長がくちょう(university) president
• 頭取とうどり(bank) president
• 総統そうとうpresident (of Taiwan)
• 主席しゅせきchairman
• 主宰しゅさいpresident
• 総理そうりleading