How to say "reference" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 参考さんこうnounCovers reference as consultation: drawing on books, data, or other materials to inform your own thinking or work; it is the word for consulting a source rather than quoting or pointing to it.
- 引用いんようsuru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveCovers reference as citation: quoting a passage or citing a source in your writing. It is not the word for the general sense of consulting a source.ハムレットから１行引用できますか。↗Can you quote a line of Hamlet?
- 参照さんしょうnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers reference to a specific source you look up or point to, such as a dictionary, a passage, or footnotes; it also covers consultation and comparison.
- 言及げんきゅうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbReference in the sense of mentioning or alluding to a topic in speech or writing, such as referring to an event or problem without quoting or consulting anything.
- 引き合いひきあいnounReally means an example or instance, something brought up as a case in point; for plain 'reference' it is seldom the word you want.
Use 参考 for consulting sources to inform your own work, 引用 for quoting or citing, 参照 for looking up a specific passage or source, 言及 for mentioning a topic, and 「引き合い」 for citing an example.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 参考さんこうreference
- 引用いんようquotation
- 参照さんしょうreference (e.g. to a dictionary, passage, footnotes)
- 言及げんきゅうreference
- 引き合いひきあいreference
- 付託ふたくcommittal
- 検索けんさくlooking up (e.g. a word in a dictionary)
- 目安めやすcriterion
- 保証人ほしょうにんguarantor
- レファレンスreference
- 引照いんしょうreference
- 援引えんいんreference
- 照会先しょうかいさきreference (e.g. for a job)
- 参看さんかんreference (e.g. to a dictionary, passage, footnotes)
- 推薦状すいせんじょうletter of invitation
- 参照アクセスさんしょうアクセスaccess
- 典拠てんきょ(an) authority
- 問い合わせ先といあわせさきreference (e.g. personal reference)
- 引っ張るひっぱるto quote
See also
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