Translation guide
The English word "bench" can refer to a long seat, a work surface, a judge's seat or court, or a sports team's substitute players. This guide covers the most common Japanese equivalents for each meaning.
A long seat for multiple people, typically in parks, gardens, or public spaces.
The most common and versatile word for a bench in any setting. A loanword from English, widely understood.
公園のベンチに座りましょう。
Let's sit on a bench in the park.
駅のホームにベンチが三つあります。
There are three benches on the station platform.
Literally 'long chair', used for indoor benches or settees. Less common for outdoor park benches.
玄関に長椅子を置きました。
I placed a bench in the entrance hall.
A sturdy table used for manual work, such as carpentry, mechanics, or laboratory tasks.
General term for a workbench or worktable. Used in workshops, factories, and labs.
作業台の上に工具を並べてください。
Please arrange the tools on the workbench.
Loanword from English, often used in technical or hobby contexts. Less common than 作業台.
The place where a judge sits in a courtroom, or the court itself as an institution.
Specifically the judge's bench in a courtroom. Used in legal contexts.
裁判官席に向かって証言してください。
Please testify facing the bench.
Refers to the courtroom itself, often used when 'bench' means the court as an entity (e.g., 'the bench ruled').
法廷は被告に有罪判決を下した。
The bench handed down a guilty verdict to the defendant.
The seat where substitute players sit, or the group of substitute players collectively.
Same word as for a seat, but in sports context it means the bench area or the substitutes. Often used in phrases like ベンチ入り (being on the bench/roster).
彼は怪我でベンチを外れている。
He is off the bench due to injury.
監督はベンチから指示を出した。
The manager gave instructions from the bench.
Literally 'reserve players', refers to the substitutes themselves rather than the physical bench.
The weightlifting exercise 'bench press' is ベンチプレス in Japanese, not just ベンチ. Using ベンチ alone in a gym context might cause confusion.
ベンチプレスは胸の筋肉を鍛える。
The bench press works the chest muscles.
This workbench is height-adjustable.
控え選手がウォーミングアップを始めた。
The bench players started warming up.