How to say "region" in Japanese

• 辺へんJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounCovers only the vague 'somewhere around there' sense of area or vicinity, not a region as a defined stretch of land. For most senses of 'region' this is seldom the word you want.
• 地域ちいきJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA neutral word for an area or region of land, a stretch thought of as one locality, large or small. When 'region' simply means an area, this is the word to reach for.
  この地域ちいきは雨あめが続つづくでしょう。↗

  This area will continue to be rainy.
• 地方ちほうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounUsed for a comparatively large region, one of the broad divisions of a country, and often suggests areas away from the capital and other big cities. Think 'the regions' rather than a small local area.
  彼かれは今年ことしの夏なつ、東北とうほく地方ちほうを旅行りょこうした。↗

  He traveled through the Tohoku district this summer.
• 部位ぶいCommon
  nounNot a geographic region: it means a part or region of the body especially, or a site or cut of meat. Choose it when 'region' refers to an area of the body.
• 州しゅうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)For 'region' as an official administrative unit of a particular country — a state, province, or one of Italy's regions. It is not the word for regions in general.
  南部なんぶの州しゅうへ冬期とうきに旅行りょこうすると、今こん旅行りょこうするよりも料金りょうきんが高たかくなります。↗

  Traveling to the southern states during the winter will be costlier than it is now.

Use 地域 for a region in general, 地方 for a large division of a country, 州 for an official region such as a state, 部位 for a region of the body, and 辺 only for a vague vicinity.

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

• 辺へんarea
• 地域ちいきarea
• 地方ちほうdistrict
• 部位ぶいpart (esp. of the body)
• 州しゅうstate (of the US, Australia, India, Germany, etc.)
• 地区ちくdistrict
• 地帯ちたいzone
• リージョンregion
• 域いきregion
• 危険領域きけんりょういきcritical area
• ブロックbloc
• 国くにregion
• 部ぶpart
• 土地とちlocality
• 領域りょういきdomain
• 境さかいarea
• 郷土きょうどprovince
• 境地きょうちplace