How to say "type" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounCovers the everyday sense of 'type' — a kind or sort of person or thing — and also 'style'; a natural word for talking about what type someone or something is.
- 型かたnoun, noun (suffix)Covers 'type' as a model or pattern: a fixed form or design that something conforms to or is classified by, rather than a loose category of similar things.
- 種類しゅるいnounCovers 'type' as a category or kind — the word for classifying things into sorts or asking what kinds, and how many kinds, of something there are.
- 類るいnoun, noun (suffix)Glosses 'kind; sort; type; class', but on its own it is seldom the word you want for 'type' — for kinds and categories, 種類 is the word to reach for.
- 品種ひんしゅnounCovers 'type' only in the sense of a sort of goods — a classification of merchandise — and is not a general-purpose word for the type of a person or thing.
Use 「タイプ」 for a kind or sort of person or thing, 型 for a type as a model or pattern, 種類 for kinds and categories, 類 only marginally on its own, and 品種 for sorts of goods.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- タイプtype
- 型かたtype
- 種類しゅるいvariety
- 類るいkind
- 品種ひんしゅtype (of goods)
- 典型てんけいtype
- 類型るいけいtype
- 型式かたしきmodel (e.g. of a vehicle)
- 式しきway
- 種しゅkind
- 類いたぐいkind
- 病型びょうけいtype (of a disease)
- カインドkind
- 活字かつじ(piece of) type
- 方ほうtype
- 毛並みけなみtype
- 標本ひょうほん(classic) example
- 字体じたいtype
- 底ていtype
- 模式もしきtype
- 毛色けいろdisposition
- 打つうつto type
- 手てkind
- 色いろkind
- 口くちkind
- 属性ぞくせいelement (of an enemy or attack)
- 肌はだdisposition
- 体たいtypeface
See also
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