Translation guide
The letter 'R' in English is used in many contexts, from the alphabet itself to abbreviations and symbols. This guide covers how to refer to the letter, pronounce it in Japanese contexts, and handle common uses like ratings, registered trademarks, and more.
Referring to the letter itself, spelling, or as a symbol.
The standard Japanese name for the letter R, borrowed from English.
Rはアルファベットの18番目の文字です。
R is the 18th letter of the alphabet.
Indicating restricted content, often for movies or games.
Means 'R-rated', used for movies with age restrictions. Often used as a noun.
この映画はR指定です。
This movie is R-rated.
Specifically for 18+ content, common in games and media.
このゲームはR-18です。
This game is R-18.
Indicating a registered trademark.
The Japanese term for 'registered trademark'. The symbol ® is often read as マルアール (maru āru) but in formal contexts, 登録商標 is used.
このロゴは登録商標です。
This logo is a registered trademark.
The symbol itself is often called マルアール (maru āru), literally 'circle R'.
このマークは®です。
This mark is ®.
Using R as an abbreviation in scientific or technical contexts.
In technical Japanese, the letter R is often used as a symbol but read as the full word. For example, radius is 半径 (hankei), resistance is 抵抗 (teikō).
半径は5cmです。
The radius is 5 cm.
抵抗値は10Ωです。
The resistance value is 10 Ω.
Understanding R in informal English abbreviations like 'r u ok?'
Abbreviations like 'r' for 'are' don't have direct equivalents. Use proper Japanese grammar instead.
大丈夫？
R u ok? → Are you okay?