Translation guide
The English word "carrier" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: a person or company that transports goods, a person who carries something, a disease carrier, and a telecommunications company. It also notes related concepts like aircraft carriers and bags.
A company that transports goods or people, such as a shipping line, airline, or trucking company.
General term for a carrier or shipping company. Common in business contexts.
その運送業者は翌日配達を保証しています。
That carrier guarantees next-day delivery.
Literally 'transport company'. Very similar to 運送業者, but slightly more formal or corporate.
大手運送会社が新しい物流センターを開設した。
A major carrier opened a new distribution center.
Loanword from English, used especially for airlines (航空会社) or in IT/telecom contexts. Not as common for general trucking.
格安キャリアが人気を集めている。
Low-cost carriers are gaining popularity.
A person who carries something, such as a porter, a message carrier, or a water carrier.
Simple phrase meaning 'person who carries'. Use with context to specify what is carried.
荷物を運ぶ人を探しています。
I'm looking for someone to carry the luggage.
Formal term for a carrier or porter, often used in legal or official contexts.
運搬人が重い箱を倉庫に運び入れた。
The carrier brought the heavy boxes into the warehouse.
Specifically a person who carries something on their shoulder, like a palanquin carrier or a mikoshi bearer. Rare in modern contexts.
祭りで神輿の担ぎ手が集まった。
The carriers of the portable shrine gathered for the festival.
A person or animal that carries and spreads a disease without necessarily showing symptoms.
Medical term for a carrier of bacteria. Commonly used in health contexts.
彼は無症状の保菌者だった。
He was an asymptomatic carrier.
Loanword used in medical contexts, similar to English 'carrier'. Often used for viruses.
Refers to a vector or intermediary carrier, like a mosquito for malaria. More specific than general disease carrier.
A company that provides telephone, internet, or mobile services.
Standard term for a telecommunications carrier. Used in official and business contexts.
大手通信事業者が5Gサービスを開始した。
Major carriers have launched 5G services.
Common loanword for mobile carriers. Often used in everyday conversation about phone plans.
Specifically a mobile phone carrier. More casual than 通信事業者.
携帯電話会社を乗り換えようと思っています。
I'm thinking of switching carriers.
A large warship that carries military aircraft.
Formal term for aircraft carrier. Often abbreviated as 空母.
その艦隊には航空母艦が含まれていた。
The fleet included an aircraft carrier.
Abbreviation of 航空母艦, common in news and military contexts.
A bag, case, or container used to carry items, such as a baby carrier or pet carrier.
Loanword used in compound words like ベビーキャリー (baby carrier) or ペットキャリー (pet carrier).
ペットキャリーに入れて電車に乗ります。
I put my pet in a carrier to take the train.
Sometimes used for larger carriers, like bike carriers or roof carriers. Less common for small bags.
General term for carrying equipment, but very broad and not commonly used for personal bags.
工場で運搬具を使って材料を移動させる。
They use carriers to move materials in the factory.
In English, 'carrier' can refer to a person who carries something, like a water carrier. In Japanese, simply saying 運ぶ人 (person who carries) is more natural than trying to use a single noun. Words like 運搬人 are very formal and rarely used in daily conversation.
キャリア is a loanword that is common in IT, telecom, and airline industries. For general transportation companies (trucking, shipping), 運送業者 or 運送会社 is more appropriate. Using キャリア for a trucking company might sound odd.
The virus carrier spread the infection.
蚊はマラリアの媒介者です。
Mosquitoes are carriers of malaria.
Which carrier do you use?
The carrier is sailing in the Pacific.
We loaded the luggage onto the car's roof carrier.