As a Software Engineer, Effective Communication is Important!
There are a lot of terms related to computers, the internet, coding, and software development in general. If you’re hoping to work in an IT-related field in Japan, you’ll need to remember pretty much all the Japanese terms in this article, which is quite a lot. The good news is, a huge majority of tech-related words are simply adopted from English! This means that all you have to do is work on your Japanese pronunciation to be able to communicate effectively!
Use This Page as a Reference
This page is intended to serve as a reference for those trying to learn Japanese terms related to IT. Treat it like a glossary to search for a specific word (using ctrl + f), or just browse through the categories and learn new words and terms as you go.
Basic Japanese Computer Terms
Before we even get to the more technical terms introduced below, these are the absolute basic terms related to computers in general. Even those who don’t work in an IT-related field will probably use these terms regularly at work, so they are worth remembering.
Essential Japanese Computer Nouns
English Term | Japanese | Romaji |
App | アプリ | “apuri” |
Browser | ブラウザ | “burauza” |
(Computer) Program | プログラム | “puroguramu” |
CPU | CPU | “shii pii yuu” |
Data | データ | “deeta” |
Desktop | デスクトップ | “desukutoppu” |
Device | 機器・デバイス | “kiki” or “debaisu” |
メール | “meeru” | |
Hard Drive | ハードドライブ | “haado doraibu” |
Internet | インターネット | “intaanetto” |
IP Address | IPアドレス | “aipii adoresu” |
Keyboard | キーボード | “kiiboodo” |
Laptop | ラップトップ | “rapputoppu” |
Monitor | モニター | “monitaa” |
Mouse | マウス | “mausu” |
Printer | プリンター | “purintaa” |
Ram | RAM | “ramu” |
Screen | 画面 | “gamen” |
Server | サーバー | “saabaa” |
Settings | 設定 | “settei” |
Space | スペース・空白 | “supeesu” or “kuuhaku” |
Touchpad | タッチパッド | “tacchipaddo” |
URL | URL | “yuu aaru eru” |
Website | ウェブサイト | “webusaito” |
Words Related to Using a Computer in Japanese
English Term | Japanese | Romaji |
Boot | 起動 | “kidou” |
Click | クリック | “kurikku” |
Collapse | 縮小 | “shukushou” |
Connect | 繋ぐ | “tsunagu” |
Delete | 削除 | “sakujo” |
Double Click | ダブルクリック | “daburu kurikku” |
Drag and Drop | ドラッグアンドドロップ | “doraggu ando doroppu” |
Edit | 編集 | “henshuu” |
Enter (data) | 入力 | “nyuuryoku” |
Expand | 拡大 | “kakudai” |
File | ファイル | “fairu” |
Insert | 挿入 | “sounyuu” |
Keyword | キーワード | “kiiwaado” |
Login | ログイン | “loguin” |
Password | パスワード | “pasuwaado” |
印刷 | “insatsu” | |
Redo | やり直す | “yarinaosu” |
Restart | 再起動 | “saikidou” |
Save | 保存 | “hozon” |
Screen Share | 画面を共有する | “gamen wo kyouyuu suru” |
Search | 検索 | “kensaku” |
Search Engine | 検索エンジン | “kensaku enjin” |
Select | 選択する | “sentaku suru” |
Send | 送信 | “soushin” |
Shut Down | シャットダウン | “shattodaun” |
Start | 開始 | “kaishi” |
Type (on a keyboard) | タイプする | “taipu suru” |
Undo | 元に戻す | “moto ni modosu” |
Username | ユーザー名 | “yuuzaamei” |
Japanese Programming-Related Terms
The following terms will probably only be of use to people who frequently write code or who are involved with software development in some other way. Again, most of the Japanese words are simply borrowed from English, so remembering them shouldn’t be too difficult. For the ones that aren’t, don’t get too stressed out. You’ll learn them soon enough, and there’s even a good chance that your Japanese coworkers will be able to understand the English versions of the words, anyway. Still, it’s best to study up so you can follow along at meetings, etc.
Japanese Terms Related to Overall Development
English Term | Japanese | Romaji | |
API | API | “ee pii ai” | |
Asynchronous | 非同期 | “hidouki” | |
Back End | バックエンド | “bakkuendo” | |
Build (noun) | ビルド | “birudo” | |
Code Review | コードレビュー | “koodo rebyuu” | |
Data Structure | データ構造 | “deeta kouzou” | |
Data Type | データ種類 | “deeta shurui” | |
Database | データベース | “deetabeesu” | |
Deploy | 配備する | “haibi suru” | |
Design (noun) | 設計 | “sekkei” | |
Developer | 開発者 | “kaihatsusha” | |
Development | 開発 | “kaihatsu” | |
Framework | フレームワーク | “fureemuwaaku” | |
Front End | フロントエンド | “furontoendo” | |
Full Stack | フルスタック | “furusutakku” | |
HTTP Request | HTTPリクエスト | “eichi tii tii pii rikuesuto” | |
IDE | IDE | “ai dii ii” | |
Implementation | 実装 | “jissou” | |
Input | 入力 | “nyuuryoku” | |
Machine Learning | 機械学習 | “kikai gakushuu” | |
Maintenance | 保守 | “hoshu” | |
Neural Network | ニューラルネットワーク | “nyuuraru nettowaaku” | |
Object-Oriented | オブジェクト指向 | “obujekuto shikou” | |
Operation | 運用 | “unyou” | |
Output | アウトプット | “autoputto” | |
Programming Language | プログラミング言語 | “puroguramingu gengo” | |
Security | セキュリティー | “sekyuritii” | |
Source | ソース | “soosu” | |
Sprint | スプリント | “supurinto” | |
Token | トークン | “tookun” |
Japanese Terms Related to Coding
English Term | Japanese | Romaji |
Add (to something) | 追加する | “tsuika suru” |
Array | 配列 | “hairetsu” |
Binary | バイナリー | “bainarii” |
Bit | ビット | “bitto” |
Boolean | ブール | “buuru” |
Bug | バグ | “bagu” |
Call | コール | “kooru” |
Character | 文字 | “moji” |
Class | クラス | “kurasu” |
Command Line | コマンドライン | “komando rain” |
Compile | コンパイルする | “konpairu suru” |
Conditional | 条件つき | “jouken tsuki” |
Constant | 定数 | “teisuu” |
Debugging | デバッグする | “debaggu suru” |
Declare | 宣言する | “sengen suru” |
Declaration | 宣言 | “sengen” |
Define | 定義する | “teigi suru” |
Error | エラー | “eraa” |
Event | イベント | “ibento” |
Event Handler | イベントハンドラー | “ibento handoraa” |
Exception | 例外 | “reigai” |
Function | 関数 | “kansuu” |
Iteration | 反復する・繰り返す | “hanpuku suru” or “kurikaesu” |
Loop | ループ | “ruupu” |
Null | ヌル | “nuru” |
Object | オブジェクト | “obujekkuto” |
Operator | 演算子 | “enzanshi” |
Parameter | パラメータ | “parameeta” |
Process | プロセス・処理 | “purosesu” or “shori” |
Run | 実行する | “jikkou suru” |
Statement | ステートメント・文 | “suteetomento” |
Stop | 停止 | “teishi” |
Tag | タグ | “tagu” |
Variable | 変数 | “hensuu” |
Japanese Terms Related to Layout
English Term | Japanese | Romaji |
Background | 背景 | “haikei” |
Block | ブロック | “burokku” |
Border | ボーダー | “boodaa” |
Box | ボックス | “bokkusu” |
Cell | セル | “seru” |
Circle | 円 | “maru” |
Column | 列 | “retsu” |
Composition | 構成 | “kousei” |
Font | フォント | “fonto” |
Footer | フッター | “futtaa” |
Header | ヘッダー | “heddaa” |
Heading | 見出し | “midashi” |
Margin | マージン | “maajin” |
Padding | パディング | “padingu” |
Pixel | ピクセル | “pikuseru” |
Rectangle | 長方形 | “chouhoukei” |
Row | 行 | “gyou” |
Square | 正方形 | “seihoukei” |
Style | スタイル | “sutairu” |
Whitespace | 空白 | “kuuhaku” |
Good Luck With Your Software Engineering Career in Japan!
Hopefully, this page will be useful for you on your quest to work as a software engineer in Japan. If you are looking for help finding a job related to coding, visit our website tsunagu Local Jobs and create an account for free to get support from our multilingual staff!
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The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.