How to say "stimulation" in Japanese

• 刺激しげきJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers stimulation in the most literal sense: a stimulus acting on the body, such as irritation of the skin or eyes, and by extension anything that rouses or stimulates a person mentally.
  光ひかりが刺激しげきとなって花はなが咲さく。↗

  Light is the stimulus that causes a flower to open.
• 興奮こうふんJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbReally 'excitement' or 'agitation': the state of being worked up or aroused, physically or emotionally, rather than the act of stimulating; seldom the word you want for 'stimulation' itself.
  観客かんきゃくは彼かれのホームランに興奮こうふんした。↗

  His home run excited the crowd.
• 勧奨かんしょうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbReally 'encouragement': urging or spurring people on to do something; it fits 'stimulation' only in that sense of encouraging action, not for physical or emotional stimulation.
• 呼び水よびみずCommon
  nounStimulation as pump-priming: something that gets an activity or process started, like water priming a pump; a trigger that sets things in motion rather than ongoing stimulation.
• 挑発ちょうはつCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbReally 'provocation': deliberately stirring someone up, typically to anger or a reaction; choose it only when the 'stimulation' is a deliberate goad, not a neutral stimulus.
  このような障害しょうがいが完全かんぜんに取り除とりのぞかれるまで、極きわめてささいな、ちょう発はつでさえ争あらそいが起おこる可能性かのうせいがいつもある。↗

  Until such difficulties are ironed out completely, there is always a chance of fighting breaking out at the slightest provocation.

Choose 刺激 for stimulation in general, bodily or mental; 興奮 is really the resulting excitement, 「呼び水」 pump-priming, 勧奨 encouragement to act, and 挑発 deliberate provocation.

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

• 刺激しげきstimulus
• 興奮こうふんexcitement
• 勧奨かんしょうencouragement
• 呼び水よびみずpump-priming
• 挑発ちょうはつprovocation
• 奨励しょうれいencouragement
• 活性化かっせいかstimulation (e.g. of an economy)
• 高ぶりたかぶりexcitement
• 賦活ふかつactivation
• 刺衝ししょうstabbing
• 振起しんきencouragement
• 強精きょうせいaphrodisia
• 励起れいきstimulation