PhotoGuide Japan/PhotoWords/General

	PhotoWords	General
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Last updated: 2005-06-19

Compiled and written by Philbert Ono

What's this? List of photography-related words in English and Japanese. The Main List has 1100+ words (click on the alphabet links). Many of the words are also categorized in separate lists (General, Camera, etc.). Meanwhile, the J-E List is a separate Japanese-to-English list of essential words not included in the Main List. And Signs is a photo gallery of Japanese signs explained in English.

Note: If the Japanese term contains an English word, the English word is spelled in normal English in the romanization. This is for easier recognition and maybe easier pronunciation and understanding. If the Japanese term is identical to the Engiish, a left arrow <- is displayed (you still have to pronounce it in the Japanese katakana way). Macrons are provided to indicate long vowel sounds. Credits here.

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General Words
ENGLISH	ROMANIZATION	JAPANESE	REMARKS
approximately	yaku￣	約～	Often used in front of a numerical specification.
black	kuro	黒
blue	ao	青、ブルー
book	hon	本
bookstore	honya	本屋
business card	meishi	名刺 *直訳してname cardと呼ぶ日本人が多いけど、business cardが正解。でも"name card"でも通じる。	Many Japanese call it "name card" in English, a literal translation.
camera magazine (periodical)	camera zasshi	カメラ雑誌
cash (money)	genkin	現金
cashier/checkout (to pay for goods)	reji	レジ
cell phone	keitai, keitai denwa	携帯／ケータイ、携帯電話	Most people just say "keitai." Also see camera phone.
claim receipt (for processed film)	hikikae-ken	引換券
consumption tax	shōhi-zei	消費税	Including tax: zeikomi 税込み Excluding tax: zei-betsu 税別ベツ
contact info (address, phone, etc.)	renraku-saki	連絡先
contact info for inquiries	toiawase-saki	問い合わせ先
credit card	<-	クレジットカード
date (year, month, day)	nengappi	年月日
date when product will go on sale	hatsubai-bi	発売日
date/time	hizuke/jikoku	日付／時刻
discount card	point card	ポイントカード	Enables you to receive a discount for the next purchase.
discounted price	waribiki nedan	割り引き値段
earthquake	jishin	地震
editor-in-chief	henshū-chō	編集長
e-mail address	meeru address	メールアドレス	Postal address: jūsho 住所
English	eigo	英語
English brochure	eigo no pamphlet	英語のパンフレット
English instruction manual	eigo-ban shiyōu setsumeisho	英語版使用説明書
English magazines	eigo no zasshi	英語の雑誌
Excuse me!	Sumimasen!		As in English, you can say this to apologize or get the salesman's attention.
festival	omatsuri/matsuri	お祭り
go on sale	hatsubai suru	発売する
green	green, midori	グリーン、緑
hobby	shumi	趣味	Photography is my hobby: Shashin wa shumi desu. 写真は趣味です。
holiday	kyujitsu	休日	National holiday: saijitsu 祭日 3-day weekend: san-renkyū 3連休 See also vacation.
horizontal	yoko	横
How many? (pictures)	Nanmai?	何枚?
How much?	Ikura?	いくら？
in stock (camera, book, etc.)	zaiko	在庫
included	￣tsuki	～付き	Added after the name of the accessory that is included. For example, "lens case-tsuki" means "including lens case."
Japanese language	Nihongo	日本語
Japanese photographer	Nihon-jin cameraman/shashinka	日本人カメラマン/写真家
Japanese photography	Nihon no shashin bunka	日本の写真文化
language	gengo	言語
made in Japan	Nihon-sei	日本製
magazine	zasshi	雑誌
measurements (woman's)	three size	スリーサイズ	In Japan, they are measured in centimeters, not inches.
name	namae	名前
newspaper	shinbun	新聞
No flash photography allowed	flash satsuei kinshi	フラッシュ撮影禁止
No photography allowed	satsuei kinshi	撮影禁止	Image here.
observation deck (skyscraper)	tenbōdai	展望台
order (a camera, book, etc.)	chūmon suru	注文する
out of stock	zaiko-kire	在庫切れ	See also sold out.
pamphlet	<-	パンフレット
paparazzi	paparachi	パパラッチ
phone number	denwa bangō	電話番号
photo history	shashin-shi	写真史
photo industry	shashin sangyō	写真産業
photo shy	shashin-kirai	写真嫌い
photographer	cameraman, shashinka, <-	カメラマン、写真家、フォトグラファ	The words "cameraman" and "shashinka" are often used interchangeably. However, there are slight differences. "Cameraman" could be a news photographer, commercial photographer, etc. Whereas a fine-art photographer is always a "shashinka." And a movie cameraman can never be called a "shashinka" because "shashin" means photography. The word "photographer" is also used in Japanese, but much less common.
photographic science	shashin kagaku	写真科学
photographic terminology	shashin yōgo	写真用語	Dictionary of photo terminology: Shashin yogo jiten
photographic terminology list	shashin yōgo-shū	写真用語集	What you are looking at now. Compiled by Philbert Ono at photojpn.org.
photography prohibited	shashin satsuei wa kinshi	写真撮影は禁止
photography world	shashin-kai	写真界
photography-related	shashin kankei	写真関係
portrait rights	shōzō-ken	肖像権	Rights to one's likeness.
power source	dengen	電源
question	shitsumon	質問	I have a question: Shitsumon arimasu.
red	aka	赤	Reddish: akappoi
retail price	teika, hyōjun kakaku	定価、標準価格	See also street price.
return the purchased item	henpin	返品
Say cheese!	Hai chiizu!	ハイ、チーズ！
season	kisetsu	季節	Four seasons: shiki 四季 Spring: haru 春ハル Summer: natsu 夏 Fall: aki 秋 Winter: fuyu 冬 Rainy season: tsuyu 梅雨
seconds (time)	byō	秒	One sec.: ichi-byo
self introduction	jiko shōkai	自己紹介
Smile!	Waratte!	笑って！
sold out	urikire	売り切れ
sold separately	betsu-uri	別売り
Sorry!	gomenasai!	ごめなさい！	Apology.
sound	onsei	音声	Accompanying the image or movie.
specify (quantity, etc.)	shitei suru	指定する
stainless steel	stainless	ステンレス
sun	taiyō	太陽
take a photograph a. have one's photo taken b. take a photo together c. take a photo with Mt. Fuji in the background	shashin o toru a. shashin o totte morau b. issho ni shashin o torō c. Fuji-san o bakku ni shashin o toru	写真を撮る、撮影する a. 写真を撮ってもらう b. 一緒に写真を撮ろう c. 富士山をバックに写真を撮る
tax excluded (from the price)	zeibetsu	税別
tax included (in the price)	zeikomi	税込み
temperature	ondo	温度	Air temperature is kion 気温.
Thank you!	Domo arigato	どうもありがとう
total amount (money)	gōkei	合計
use	tsukau	使う
vacation	yasumi	休み	Day off/holiday: kyūjitsu 休日 National holiday: saijitsu 祭日 Weekend: shūmatsu 週末 3-day weekend: san-renkyū 3連休 Consecutive national holidays: renkyū 連休 Spring vacation/Golden Week: haru yasumi 春休み Summer vacation: natsu yasumi/Obon yasumi 夏休み/お盆休み New Year's holidays/winter vacation: Oshōgatsu /fuyu yasumi お正月/冬休み Golden Week is a string of national holidays in late April to early May. Synonymous with spring vacation. Obon is the Buddhist belief where deceased souls return to Earth and Bon dances are held to greet them. It is also a time when people visit ancestral graves. Synonymous with summer vacation for most working people.
vertical	tate	縦
warranty card	hoshōsho	保証書
warranty period	hoshō kikan	保証期間
waterproof	bōsui	防水
weather forecast	tenki yohō	天気予報	Sunny: Hare 晴れ Rain: Ame 雨 Cloudy: Kumori 曇り Chance of rain: kōsui kakuritsu (expressed as a percentage) 降水確率 Snow: yuki 雪 Thunderstorm: Raiu 雷雨 Typhoon: Taifu 台風 Temperature: kion 気温
weight	shitsuryō	質量	The weight of a person is called "taijū" 体重 and not shitsuryō.
Welcome!	Irasshaimase!	いらっしゃいませ！
What time?	Nanji?	何時？
Where?	Doko?	何処？
white	shiro	白
Who?	Dare?	誰？

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
J-E List | Signs | General | Camera | Lens | Accessory | Digital | Supplies

PhotoWords

Web

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