How to say "stone" in Japanese

• 石いしJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThe general word for a stone or rock, covering everything from a small pebble to a large rock; the default choice when you mean an actual piece of stone.
  その子供こどもは小ちいさな石いしを拾い上ひろいあげた。↗

  The child picked up a small stone.
• 核かくJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe stone or pit inside a fruit, such as a peach or plum — the hard center you spit out, not a loose stone on the ground.
• グーCommon
  nounThe closed-fist sign for 'rock' in rock-paper-scissors; outside that game it simply means a clenched fist, so it is not a general word for a stone.
  グーがチョキに、チョキがパーに、パーはグーに勝かつ。↗

  Rock breaks scissors. Scissors cut paper. Paper smothers rock.
• つぶてCommon
  nounA stone thrown as a missile, as when pelting something; it is not the general word for stone, and the word is usually written in kana alone.
• 結石けっせきCommon
  nounThe medical term for a calculus — a stone that forms inside the body, as in the kidneys or gallbladder; not a word for ordinary stones.

Use 石 for stones and rocks in general, 核 for the pit of a fruit, 「グー」 only for the fist sign in rock-paper-scissors, 「つぶて」 for a thrown stone, and 結石 for stones that form in the body.

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

• 石いしstone
• 核かくstone (of a fruit)
• ぐーrock (in rock-paper-scissors)
• つぶてstone (used for throwing)
• 結石けっせきcalculus
• たねseed (e.g. of a plant)
• ストーンstone
• 実さねseed (of a fruit)
• 石製せきせいstone
• 石塊せっかいstone
• 石材せきざい(building) stone
• 石ころいしころ(small) stone
• 石造りいしづくり(made of) stone
• 石くれいしくれ(small) stone
• ロックrock
• 投石とうせき(throwing) stone
• 石造せきぞうstone-built