Translation guide
The English word "cabinet" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: a piece of furniture with shelves or drawers, a group of government ministers, and a casing for electronics. It also touches on less common uses like a private room or a display case.
A piece of furniture used for storage, often with doors, shelves, or drawers.
General word for a cupboard or cabinet with doors, often used in kitchens.
I put the dishes away in the cabinet.
Loanword from English, often used for office filing cabinets or stylish furniture.
The documents are organized in the cabinet.
Storage shelf or cabinet; emphasizes the function of storing things.
This storage cabinet is easy to assemble.
Specifically a cabinet for dishes and tableware, like a china cabinet.
Antique plates are lined up in my grandmother's china cabinet.
A group of senior government ministers who make important decisions.
The outer box or housing that contains electronic components or machinery.
Technical term for the casing or chassis of a device, such as a computer or arcade machine.
This cabinet is highly durable.
Also used for equipment cabinets, like server racks or speaker enclosures.
Informal; simply means 'box' and can be used for a simple casing.
A small private room, often for meetings or study. (Rare/archaic in modern English, but may appear in historical contexts.)
A glass-fronted cabinet for displaying items, such as in a museum or shop.
The word 内閣 (ないかく) only refers to the government body. Using キャビネット for the government would be incorrect. Conversely, 内閣 cannot mean a piece of furniture.
Because 'cabinet' has many meanings, always consider the context. If you're talking about furniture, 戸棚 or キャビネット are safe. For government, use 内閣. For electronics, 筐体 is precise.
首相は閣僚を任命した。
The prime minister appointed the cabinet ministers.
Cabinet reshuffle; a common political term.
A cabinet reshuffle was carried out.
サーバーキャビネットを設置した。
We installed a server cabinet.
I built my own speaker cabinet.
The king met with the minister in his private cabinet.
The new products are displayed in the cabinet.