How to say "quality" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 質しつnoun, noun (suffix)The basic word for the quality or value of something; it also appears in 品質. Typical of general talk about the quality of work, materials, or life.
- 品質ひんしつnounThis is the word for the quality of a product or a service, as in talk about goods, manufacturing, or customer service; for that sense it is the natural choice.
- nounThe loanword for quality, covering much the same ground as 質; it carries the flavor of the English word, as in talk about the quality of films, games, or other creative work.
- 良し悪しよしあしnounReally 'good or bad' rather than a noun for quality as such: use it when the point is whether an idea, plan, or method is good or bad, right or wrong, or suitable.
- 優劣ゆうれつnounQuality as relative merit: the superiority or inferiority of things compared with each other. Typical when judging which of competing products, methods, or candidates is better.
Use 品質 for the quality of products or services, 質 for quality or value in general, 「クオリティ」 as the loanword, 「良し悪し」 for whether something is good or bad, and 優劣 for relative merit in comparison.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 質しつquality
- 品質ひんしつquality (of a product or a service)
- クオリティquality
- 良し悪しよしあしright or wrong
- 優劣ゆうれつ(relative) merits
- 品格ひんかくdignity
- 巧拙こうせつskill
- 品柄しながらquality
- 品等ひんとうgrade
- 位取りくらいどりgrade
- 善い悪いよいわるいgood or bad
- しなquality
- 性質せいしつquality
- 出来できquality (e.g. of a crop)
- 作柄さくがらquality (of an artistic work)
- 品位ひんいgrade
- 性しょうquality
- ものquality
See also
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