Translation guide
How to say 'European' in Japanese, covering nationality, ethnicity, and descriptive uses.
European person
Referring to a person from Europe or of European descent.
Standard, neutral term for a European person.
He is European.
More formal or written term, often used in news or official contexts.
The number of European tourists is increasing.
Literally 'Westerner', can include Europeans but also Americans, etc. Broader and less precise.
Describing something as relating to Europe.
The most common way to say 'European [something]'. Uses the noun ヨーロッパ with the possessive/no-adjective particle の.
European culture is diverse.
European countries
Formal/written alternative to ヨーロッパの, common in news and official names.
the European economic situation
Means 'European-style', used in compound words like 欧風料理 (European-style cuisine).
Referring to the European Union specifically.
The abbreviation EU is widely understood and used in Japanese.
Full formal name, used in official documents.
European Union member states
ヨーロッパ is the everyday word for Europe. 欧州 is more formal and often appears in compounds like 欧州連合 (EU) or 欧州人. In casual speech, stick to ヨーロッパ.
The direct loanword ヨーロピアン exists but is rarely used for people; it sounds unnatural. Use ヨーロッパ人 instead.
I want to travel to European countries.
She is European.
Not a direct equivalent; use only when the context is clearly about 'the West' vs. 'the East'.
Westerners often eat bread.
欧風カレー
European-style curry