Translation guide
The English word "column" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: a vertical pillar, a newspaper or magazine article, a vertical line of text or numbers, and a vertical formation of people or vehicles.
A tall, vertical, usually cylindrical support in a building or structure.
The most common and general word for a pillar or column, used in architecture and everyday contexts.
This building uses marble columns.
Specifically a cylindrical column or pillar. Often used in technical or architectural descriptions.
Ancient Greek temples have rows of cylindrical columns.
A regular article in a newspaper or magazine, often by a specific writer, expressing opinions or covering a particular topic.
The direct loanword from English, widely used for newspaper or magazine columns, especially opinion pieces or regular features.
He writes a column for the newspaper every week.
Refers to a series or serialized column. Often used for regular features, though it can also mean a serialized story.
Literally 'boxed article', used for a short, boxed column or sidebar in a publication.
A vertical division of text or data, such as in a table, spreadsheet, or newspaper layout.
The standard word for a column in a table, spreadsheet, or any arrangement of items in a vertical line. Contrasts with 行 (row).
Please look at the second column from the left of the table.
Loanword from English, often used in computing and data contexts (e.g., database columns).
Used for columns of text in a page layout, like newspaper columns. Also means 'step' or 'tier'.
A line of people or vehicles moving or standing one behind another.
Specifically a vertical column or file, used for military formations, marching, or vehicles in a line.
The soldiers marched in a column.
General word for a line or row; can also mean a column of people when context is clear, but 縦列 is more precise.
These three words cover the main meanings of 'column' but are not interchangeable. 柱 (はしら) is a physical pillar. コラム is a newspaper article. 列 (れつ) is a vertical line in a table or a line of people. Using the wrong one can cause confusion.
While 柱 means pillar, it is not used metaphorically for a newspaper column. Use コラム instead.
この連載は毎月第一月曜日に掲載されます。
This column appears on the first Monday of every month.
囲み記事にレシピが載っている。
The recipe is in the boxed column.
This column contains dates.
This article is laid out in three columns.
People are standing in a column (line).