How to say "relation" in Japanese

• 関係かんけいJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe broad, default word for 'relation' or 'relationship': a tie or connection between people, groups, countries, or things, covering both personal relationships and relations between organizations or events.
  これとあれはどういう関係かんけいがあるの。↗

  How is this connected to that?
• 関連かんれんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbChoose this when the sense is relevance or connection between things — how one matter is connected with another — rather than a relationship between people; it suits talk of related matters and relevance.
  この事実じじつはお互たがいに関連かんれんし合あっている。↗

  These facts are mutually related.
• 仲なかJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers 'relationship' between people in the sense of how close or friendly they are — the personal bond itself. Typical context: talking about whether two people are getting along well or badly.
  私は彼かれとは訪問ほうもんし合あう仲なかだ。↗

  I am on visiting terms with him.
• 親身しんみCommon
  nounA marginal match for 'relation': as a noun it can mean one's own flesh and blood, but the word is chiefly an adjective describing warm, personal concern, so it is seldom the word you want.
• 親戚しんせきJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe word for 'relation' in the family sense: a relative — someone connected to you by blood or marriage. Use this when 'relation' means a person, as in a distant relation, not a tie between things.
  クニ子くにこは長井ながいさんと親戚しんせきです。↗

  Kuniko is related to Mr Nagai.

Use 関係 for relations or relationships in general, 関連 for relevance or connection between things, 仲 for how well people get along, and 親戚 for a relative; 親身 is a marginal kinship term.

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

• 関係かんけいrelation
• 関連かんれんrelation
• 仲なかrelation
• 親身しんみrelation
• 親戚しんせきrelative
• 親族しんぞくrelative
• 結びつきむすびつきconnection
• 間柄あいだがらrelationship
• 縁故えんこrelation
• 親類しんるいrelative
• 身寄りみよりrelative
• 縁者えんじゃrelative
• 連関れんかんconnection
• ゆかりconnection (to a person, place, etc.)
• 関わりかかわりrelation
• リレーションrelation
• 続き合いつづきあいrelation
• 由縁ゆえんacquaintance
• 係属けいぞくconnection
• 関連性かんれんせいrelatedness
• 比較演算子ひかくえんざんしrelational operator
• 族縁ぞくえんrelative
• 関係性かんけいせいrelationship
• よしみfriendship
• 連絡れんらくconnection (between matters, incidents, etc.)
• 折り合いおりあいrelationship
• 筋目すじめrelation