Translation guide
The chemical element carbon, as well as carbon-based materials like charcoal and carbon paper. This guide covers how to express these concepts naturally in Japanese.
Referring to the element carbon in scientific or technical contexts.
The standard word for the chemical element carbon. Used in chemistry, materials science, and everyday technical contexts.
炭素は原子番号6の元素です。
Carbon is the element with atomic number 6.
二酸化炭素は炭素と酸素からできています。
Carbon dioxide is made of carbon and oxygen.
Referring to carbon-based materials like charcoal, coal, or soot, often in everyday or traditional contexts.
General word for charcoal. Used for grilling, drawing, and traditional fuel.
バーベキューに炭を使います。
We use charcoal for the barbecue.
炭で火をおこす。
Start a fire with charcoal.
Specifically coal (the mineral). Used for energy production and historical contexts.
Soot, the black powdery carbon residue from incomplete combustion. Often found in chimneys or after a fire.
煙突に煤がたまっている。
Soot has accumulated in the chimney.
Referring to carbon paper used for making copies, or the resulting copy.
Carbon paper. The physical sheet used to make copies. Often used in office or receipt contexts.
カーボン紙を使って伝票を複写する。
Use carbon paper to duplicate the slip.
Referring to carbonation or carbon dioxide in beverages.
Carbonic acid or carbonation. Used in words like 炭酸飲料 (carbonated drink) and 炭酸水 (sparkling water).
炭酸飲料が好きですか？
Do you like carbonated drinks?
炭酸水で割る。
Mix with sparkling water.
The loanword カーボン is used mainly in compounds like カーボン紙 (carbon paper) or カーボンニュートラル (carbon neutral). For the pure element, always use 炭素 (たんそ).
カーボンニュートラルを目指す。
Aim for carbon neutrality.
炭 (すみ) is the general term for charcoal. 石炭 (せきたん) is coal (mineral). 木炭 (もくたん) is specifically wood charcoal. Use 炭 for everyday charcoal grilling, 石炭 for industrial coal.
木炭で焼き鳥を焼く。
Grill yakitori over charcoal.
石炭は化石燃料の一つです。
Coal is one of the fossil fuels.
Carbon copy. The duplicate made using carbon paper. Also used metaphorically for an exact copy.
この書類のカーボンコピーを保管してください。
Please keep the carbon copy of this document.