How to say "rubber" in Japanese

• ラバーCommon
  nounA katakana loanword meaning rubber, overlapping in sense with ゴム. When you simply mean rubber as a material, ゴム is the word to reach for.
• ゴムJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThe word for rubber as a material or substance, usually written in kana alone. Use it when 'rubber' means the material itself, for instance when describing what something is made of.
  タイヤはゴムと路面ろめんの摩擦まさつによってすり減へる。↗

  Tires wear down because of friction between the rubber and the road surface.
• 消しゴムけしゴムJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThis is the word for an eraser — 'rubber' in the British sense, the item used to rub out pencil marks. When 'rubber' means the material, ゴム is the word you want.
  ちょっと消けしゴムをかしてくれませんか。↗

  Can I borrow your eraser for a moment?
• ガムJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounThis means gum — chewing gum — rather than rubber as a material. It is seldom the word you want when you mean the substance 'rubber'; for that, use ゴム.

For rubber as a material use 「ゴム」; for the eraser sense of 'rubber' use 「消しゴム」; 「ガム」 means chewing gum rather than the material; and 「ラバー」 is the katakana loanword for rubber, overlapping with 「ゴム」.

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

• ラバーrubber
• ゴムgum
• 消しゴムけしゴムeraser
• イレーザーeraser
• 弾性ゴムだんせいゴムgum elastic
• ガムgum