How to say "repetition" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 繰り返しくりかえしnounThe default word for repetition in the everyday sense of doing or saying something again; covers habitual or recurring actions and is at home in almost any context.
- 反復はんぷくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers repetition and reiteration, often with a slightly formal or abstract feel, as in repeated practice or the reiteration of an idea; leans toward deliberate, structured repetition rather than casual recurrence.
- 重複ちょうふくsuru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveNot the general word for repetition; it really means duplication, overlap or redundancy, as when the same content appears twice or two things coincide unnecessarily.
- noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe loanword for repeating or repetition, typically for playing a song or track again or ordering the same item a second time.
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbA colloquial abbreviation of リピート with the same meaning; it belongs to casual speech, as in wanting to hear a song again or becoming a repeat customer.
Use 「繰り返し」 for the general act of repeating, 反復 for deliberate repetition, 重複 for duplication or redundancy, 「リピート」 for requested repeats (e.g. songs, orders), and 「リピ」 as its colloquial short form.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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