How to say "sheet" in Japanese

Choosing the right word

シートCommon
nounThe broad loanword for a sheet of some material — paper, plastic, metal, and so on. It also covers things like seat covers and spreadsheets, so it is usually the safest default for 'sheet'.
シーツJLPT N2approx.Common
nounSpecifically a bed sheet, the cloth covering a mattress. For this sense it is the word you want; it does not mean a sheet of paper, metal, or other material.
彼女かのじょはベッドにきれいなシーツを敷しいた。↗
She put clean sheets on the bed.
板いたJLPT N3approx.Common
nounA flat, typically rigid piece of hard material: a sheet of metal, a plate of glass, a board or slab. A poor choice for cloth or paper; it suggests something solid rather than flexible.
この鉄てつの板いたはすずでメッキしてある。↗
This iron sheet is coated with tin.

Use 「シート」 for a general sheet of material, 「シーツ」 for a bed sheet, and 板 for a rigid flat piece such as a sheet of metal or glass.

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

Japanese equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

Say it right, write it right