Translation guide
The English word 'clay' refers to a natural material used for pottery, sculpture, and construction. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 粘土 (nendo), but other words exist for specific types or contexts.
The natural earthy material used for making pottery, bricks, sculptures, etc.
The standard word for clay in most contexts, including art, crafts, and industrial use.
The children made animals out of clay.
This region yields high-quality clay.
Literally 'earth' or 'soil', but can refer to clay in contexts like pottery or natural materials. Often used in compound words.
I bought clay for pottery.
Clay specifically prepared for making pottery or ceramics.
Soft, malleable clay used for children's play or sculpting, often synthetic.
Oil-based modeling clay that doesn't dry out, commonly used in schools.
Oil-based clay doesn't dry easily, so it can be used repeatedly.
Paper-based clay that air-dries, lightweight and easy to paint.
Homemade play dough made from flour, safe for young children.
Clay as a component of soil, often heavy and sticky when wet.
A tennis court surface made of crushed brick or clay.
Loanword from French 'terre battue', used for clay tennis courts.
The French Open is played on clay courts.
A target used in shooting sports, originally made of clay.
The sport of clay pigeon shooting. The target itself is called クレー.
He is a clay shooting athlete.
While 土 (tsuchi) can mean 'earth' or 'soil', it is not a direct synonym for 'clay'. Use 粘土 (nendo) for the material used in art and crafts. 土 is broader and may refer to dirt or ground.
In Japanese, it's common to specify the type of clay by adding a prefix, e.g., 油粘土 (oil clay), 紙粘土 (paper clay), 陶土 (pottery clay). This is more natural than just saying 粘土 in many contexts.
This clay is suitable for pottery.
紙粘土で人形を作って、色を塗った。
I made a doll out of paper clay and painted it.
Flour clay is safe for even small children to play with.