Translation guide
The English prefix 'cis' (as in cisgender) is typically expressed in Japanese by directly borrowing the English term or by using descriptive phrases. There is no single native Japanese equivalent.
To describe a person whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth.
The most direct and commonly used term in Japanese LGBTQ+ discourse. A loanword from English.
彼はシスジェンダーの男性です。
He is a cisgender man.
Shortened form of シスジェンダー, used in casual or community contexts.
シスの人もトランスの人も参加できます。
Both cis and trans people can participate.
Descriptive phrase meaning 'a person whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity match'. Used in formal or explanatory contexts.
生まれ持った性別と性自認が一致する人をシスジェンダーと呼びます。
People whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity match are called cisgender.
A more colloquial descriptive phrase meaning 'physical sex and mental gender are aligned'. May be used in personal narratives.
私は身体の性と心の性が一致しています。
My physical sex and gender identity are aligned.
To refer to the cis isomer in chemistry, where functional groups are on the same side of a double bond.
Used as a prefix in chemical nomenclature, identical to English 'cis-'. Example: シス-1,2-ジクロロエチレン.
この化合物はシス体です。
This compound is the cis isomer.
The term シス or シスジェンダー is primarily used in LGBTQ+ contexts. In everyday conversation, most Japanese speakers do not use these terms unless discussing gender identity explicitly. Using them without context may cause confusion.
If you want to avoid loanwords, you can describe the concept using phrases like 生まれ持った性別と性自認が一致する人, but this is wordy and less common in casual speech.