How to say "summit" in Japanese

• 山頂さんちょうCommon
  nounThe dedicated word for the summit of a mountain. When you mean the highest point of a mountain itself — in climbing or hiking talk, for example — this is the most direct choice.
  山頂さんちょうが雲くもの上うえにそびえている。↗

  The peak rises above the clouds.
• サミットCommon
  nounThe loanword covers only the meeting sense: a summit conference between leaders or governments. It does not refer to any physical high point, so it is no help for mountains.
  サミットが開ひらかれるのはこの部屋へやです。↗

  It is in this room that the summit will be held.
• 頂上ちょうじょうJLPT N3approx.Common
  no-adjectiveA general word for the top or peak of something. For mountains it overlaps with 山頂, but it is not tied to them and can describe the top of other things too.
  私達わたしたちはついに頂上ちょうじょうへたどり着ついた。↗

  At last, we reached the summit.
• てっぺんCommon
  nounAnother general word, usually written in kana alone, for the very top or apex of something; like 頂上 it is not restricted to mountains and suggests the single highest point.
  私わたしたちは大阪おおさかタワーのてっぺんに上あがった。↗

  We got to the top of Osaka Tower.
• 頂いただきJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounRead いただき, this covers the summit of a mountain but also the crown of the head and spires, so it is less specific than 山頂; context decides the sense.
  今朝けさ起おきてみると、山やまの頂いただきが雪ゆきにおおわれていた。↗

  I awoke this morning to find the summit of the mountain covered with snow.

「サミット」 is only for summit meetings; for a mountain's summit 山頂 is the most direct choice, 頂上 and 「てっぺん」 are general 'top' words, and 頂 also covers the crown of the head.

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

• 山頂さんちょうsummit (of a mountain)
• サミットsummit (meeting)
• 頂上ちょうじょうtop
• てっぺんtop
• 頂いただきcrown (of head)
• 絶頂ぜっちょうtop (of a mountain)
• 峰みねpeak
• 山巓さんてんsummit (of a mountain)
• 山嶺さんれいmountaintop
• 山の頂やまのいただきmountain top
• 上うえtop
• 頂点ちょうてんtop (e.g. of a mountain)