How to say "professor" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 教授きょうじゅnounA professor at a university: it covers both the academic title and the person holding it. Use it when stating someone's position or referring to your own professor; this is the word you want.
- 教官きょうかんnounA broad word for a teacher or instructor; as 'professor' it appears mainly in official references to a university's teaching staff, and is seldom the word you want when simply calling someone a professor.
For a professor in the ordinary sense — a university academic with that title — use 教授; 教官 is really a broader word for a teacher or instructor, and means professor mainly in official or institutional contexts.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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