How to say "slogan" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe direct equivalent: a catchy phrase expressing a policy, aim, or selling point, displayed on posters or chanted at rallies. This is the default choice for advertising and political slogans.
- 標語ひょうごnounA short, pithy slogan of the kind displayed on public-safety posters or composed for school and community campaigns; it also means a motto or catchword in general.
- nounReally 'theme' or 'topic': the subject of a talk, event, or design. It matches 'slogan' only loosely — use it for the underlying theme a campaign is built around, not the catchphrase itself.
- 合言葉あいことばnounA watchword or password; as a slogan it is a rallying phrase that members of a team or group share and repeat to keep themselves united.
- 旗印はたじるしnounLiterally a banner; figuratively the cause or objective a movement rallies under, as when reform or democracy serves as its banner. For 'slogan' it suggests such a guiding banner more than the phrase itself.
Use 「スローガン」 for the catchphrase itself, 標語 for short poster or campaign slogans, 合言葉 for a group's watchword, 旗印 for a figurative banner or cause, and 「テーマ」 only for the underlying theme.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
