検査|けんさkensa[1]atamadaka (head-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbinspection (e.g. customs, factory); examination; test; check; scan (e.g. MRI, PET); audit
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 検査する（けんさする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 検査します（けんさします） |
| Negative (nai) | 検査しない（けんさしない） |
| polite (masen) | 検査しません（けんさしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 検査せず・検査せぬ（けんさせず・けんさせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 検査した（けんさした） |
| polite (mashita) | 検査しました（けんさしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 検査しなかった（けんさしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 検査しませんでした（けんさしませんでした） |
| Te form | 検査して（けんさして） |
| Potential | 検査できる（けんさできる） |
| Passive | 検査される（けんさされる） |
| Causative | 検査させる（けんささせる） |
| Causative passive | 検査させられる（けんささせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 検査すれば（けんさすれば） |
| tara | 検査したら（けんさしたら） |
| Volitional | 検査しよう（けんさしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 検査しましょう（けんさしましょう） |
| Imperative | 検査しろ（けんさしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym点検てんけんWrittenWritten/formal prose: a careful item-by-item check of equipment or facilities — 「定期点検」. The emphasis is on checking each item in turn, unlike the general 検査.
- Synonym検分けんぶんWrittenWritten/formal prose: going on site to inspect in person — 「現場を検分する」. Used mainly of officials and police, unlike the general 検査.
- SynonymテストCasualColloquial loanword for exams or for testing performance — 「テスト運転」. Very common in speech; 検査 usually means checking for problems.
- SynonymチェックCasualColloquial loanword for a quick check or look-over — 「メールをチェックする」. More casual than 検査 and very common in speech.
- Synonym調べるしらべるNeutralNeutral, everyday verb for looking things up or investigating — 「辞書で調べる」. Broad in scope; 検査 is a check that follows a set procedure.
- Synonym査察ささつFormalFormal: the authorities checking whether rules are being followed — 「核査察」「税務査察」. Carries a compulsory, official tone.
- Synonym試験しけんNeutralNeutral: an exam, or a test of performance or effect — 「入学試験」「臨床試験」. The emphasis is on testing ability or results, not on checking for abnormalities.
- Synonym調べしらべNeutralNeutral noun: an investigation or inquiry — 「警察の調べ」. Also means a tune or melody.
- Synonym監査かんさFormalFormal: supervising and checking operations or accounts — 「会計監査」. Used mainly by companies and public bodies.
- Synonym検するけんするWrittenRare written/formal word meaning to inspect or supervise. In everyday speech use 「検査する」 or 「調べる」 instead.
- SynonymインスペクションFormalFormal loanword used in specialist fields such as house inspections and official visits. In daily life say 「検査」 or 「点検」.
- Related調査ちょうさNeutralNeutral: an investigation to establish the facts — 「世論調査」. It focuses on finding out how things stand, while 検査 focuses on whether anything is wrong.
- Related審査しんさWrittenWritten/formal prose: screening to judge whether something passes or which is better — 「書類審査」. Common for applications and contests.
- Related検定けんていWrittenWritten/formal prose: checking something against set specifications or standards, or an exam certifying a skill or qualification — 「漢字検定」「検定教科書」.
- Related吟味ぎんみWrittenWritten/formal prose: weighing and choosing carefully — 「食材を吟味する」. It judges quality, while 検査 looks for abnormalities.
- Related考査こうさWrittenWritten/formal prose: school tests or assessment of a person's ability — 「期末考査」. Mostly used in schools.
- Related分析ぶんせきNeutralNeutral: breaking something down to understand its makeup — 「データ分析」. Research-oriented; 検査 is about finding problems.
- Related鑑定かんていWrittenWritten/formal prose: an expert judgement of authenticity, value or identity based on specialist knowledge — 「筆跡鑑定」「DNA鑑定」.
- Related解析かいせきWrittenWritten/formal, technical: detailed analysis of data or structures — 「画像解析」.
- Related検閲けんえつFormalFormal: the authorities censoring what publications or communications say — 「検閲制度」. It implies curbing expression, not a routine inspection like 検査.
- RelatedみるCasualEveryday colloquial verb; for seeing a doctor say 「医者に見てもらう」. 検査 is the formal examination itself.
- Related見極めるみきわめるNeutralNeutral: seeing through to the true nature of something — 「真偽を見極める」. About making a judgement; 検査 follows a set procedure.
- Related検討けんとうWrittenWritten/formal prose: studying something from many angles to weigh its merits — 「対策を検討する」. About deliberation; 検査 checks for abnormalities.
- Related取り調べるとりしらべるWrittenWritten/formal prose: to investigate in detail, especially the police questioning a suspect — 「容疑者を取り調べる」.
Use 「検査」 for a check to find whether anything is wrong, e.g. a medical test. Use 「点検」 for item-by-item checks of equipment, 「調査」 to establish the facts, 「審査」 to screen applications, and 「チェック」 or 「調べる」 for casual everyday looking-over. For exams and ability tests pick 「試験」 or 「テスト」; for expert judgement of value or authenticity 「鑑定」; for official compliance checks 「査察」, for auditing accounts 「監査」; 「検閲」 is censorship of content. For deliberation use 「検討」; for analysis 「分析」「解析」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
