How to say "video" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 動画どうがnounThe word for video in the digital sense: a video file or clip, such as one recorded on a phone or watched online. For most everyday uses of 'video,' this is the word to choose.
- nounCovers video as a televised image — the moving picture itself as shown on a screen, rather than a file. For a digital video clip, 動画 is the usual choice.
- 映像えいぞうnounCovers video as imagery or footage: the moving pictures themselves, as in film or footage of an event. It points to the visual content rather than the file or device.
- nounA loanword covering 'video' and 'video clip.' For a clip it largely overlaps with 動画, and either word is acceptable in most situations.
Use 動画 for a digital video or clip, 「ビデオ」 for video as a televised image, 映像 for the imagery or footage itself, and 「ムービー」 as a loanword for a video clip.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
