Translation guide
The letter B, the musical note, or a grade/rank. This guide covers how to refer to the letter, the note, and the grade in Japanese.
Referring to the letter of the alphabet
The letter B is usually just written as the Latin capital letter B in Japanese text. When read aloud, it is pronounced ビー.
Bはアルファベットの2番目の文字です。
B is the second letter of the alphabet.
Referring to the note B in music
In Japanese music, the note B is called ロ (ro), following the iroha system. This is the standard way to refer to the note.
この曲はロ長調です。
This piece is in B major.
In some modern or international contexts, the letter B itself may be used, pronounced ビー. This is less common in traditional music settings.
Bの音を弾いてください。
Please play the note B.
Referring to a B grade, as in school or evaluation
In Japanese schools and evaluations, the Latin letter B is often used directly, pronounced ビー. It indicates a grade that is above average but not the highest.
彼の成績はBだった。
His grade was a B.
In some traditional grading systems, 良 (りょう, meaning 'good') corresponds to a B. This is less common in modern contexts but may appear on older transcripts.
評価は「良」でした。
The evaluation was 'Good' (equivalent to a B).