Translation guide
The English word 'contact' covers several distinct meanings: getting in touch with someone, physical touch, a person who provides connections, and more. Japanese uses different words and patterns for each.
I'll contact you.
Please contact me.
Do you have contact lenses?
Often shortened to コンタクト
To communicate with someone, especially by phone, email, etc.
The most common and general word for 'contact' as communication. Used as a noun and with する to mean 'to contact'.
Literally 'take contact', meaning to get in touch with someone. Often used when initiating contact.
I want to get in touch with him.
Polite form of 連絡. Used in business or formal situations.
Thank you for contacting me.
Loanword from English. Often used in casual or business contexts, but 連絡 is more common. Can also mean contact lenses.
The state or action of touching something.
A person you know who can help you, especially in business or for information.
Short for contact lenses.
A point where electrical circuits connect.
While コンタクト is understood, 連絡 is the standard word for 'getting in touch'. Using コンタクト for communication can sound overly casual or like English-influenced Japanese.
触れる (ふれる) is for light, often unintentional touch, while 触る (さわる) is for intentional touching. 触れる can also mean 'to be exposed to' or 'to experience'.
I heard from him. / He contacted me.
I tried contacting him, but no reply.
General word for physical contact or touching. Used in technical and everyday contexts.
skin-to-skin contact
avoid contact
Verb meaning 'to touch' or 'to come into contact with'. Often used for light or incidental touch.
Our hands touched.
Verb meaning 'to touch' intentionally. More deliberate than 触れる.
Please don't touch that button.
Literally 'contact address', meaning a person's contact information or a person as a contact.
Please give me your emergency contact.
Refers to one's network of personal connections, often in business.
He has a wide network of contacts.
Short for 'connection', often implying using personal connections to gain an advantage. Can have a negative nuance.
I found a job through connections.
Full term for contact lenses. Often shortened to コンタクト.
Take out contact lenses.
Common abbreviation for contact lenses. Context distinguishes from the communication meaning.
I forgot my contacts today.
Technical term for an electrical contact point.
The relay contacts are dirty.
His hand touched mine (lightly/accidentally).
Please do not touch the exhibits.