Translation guide
The English word "bulb" can refer to a light bulb, a plant bulb, or a bulb-shaped object. This guide covers how to express these meanings naturally in Japanese.
Referring to an electric light bulb, the glass part that produces light.
The standard word for a light bulb. Used in everyday conversation.
電球が切れた。
The light bulb burned out.
この電球はLEDです。
This bulb is an LED.
A bare light bulb, without a shade or fixture. Often used in descriptive contexts.
部屋には裸電球が一つぶら下がっていた。
A bare bulb hung from the ceiling of the room.
Incandescent light bulb. Used when specifying the type, often in technical or shopping contexts.
白熱電球は生産が終了しました。
Incandescent bulbs have been discontinued.
Referring to the underground storage organ of plants like onions, garlic, tulips, etc.
The general term for a plant bulb. Used in gardening and botany.
チューリップの球根を植える。
Plant tulip bulbs.
球根から芽が出た。
A sprout came out of the bulb.
Botanical term for a bulb, specifically a scaly bulb like a lily. Rare in everyday language.
ユリは鱗茎で増える。
Lilies propagate through bulbs.
Referring to something shaped like a bulb, such as a thermometer bulb or a rubber bulb.
Means 'ball' or 'sphere'. Often used in compound words to describe bulb-shaped parts.
温度計の球部
the bulb of a thermometer
A rubber bulb, like those used in pipettes or camera shutters.
スポイトのゴム球を押す。
Squeeze the rubber bulb of the dropper.
電球 (denkyū) only means light bulb. For plant bulbs, use 球根 (kyūkon). Using 電球 for a tulip bulb would be confusing.