Translation guide
How to express the idea of 'designation' in Japanese, covering official titles, appointments, labels, and classifications.
The learner wants to refer to the official name or title assigned to a person, position, or object.
A general term for the official name or title of something, such as a product, organization, or position.
What is the official designation of this product?
Refers to what something or someone is called; often used for titles or forms of address.
The designation for that position is 'buchō' (department head).
Often used for designating something for a specific purpose, like a designated area or time. More about assignment than naming.
This is a designated smoking area.
The learner wants to express the action of officially assigning a person to a position or task.
The act of appointing someone to an official position or duty.
He was appointed as the new department head.
Nomination or designation of a specific person for a role, often by name.
Can also mean designating a person for a task, but less formal than 任命. Often used for assignments.
The learner wants to talk about categorizing or labeling something with a specific designation.
名称 is the official name of a thing, while 呼称 is what people actually call it. For example, a product's 名称 might be 'XYZ-1000', but its 呼称 could be 'the new model'.
The official designation is long, so we use a nickname.
While 指定 can be used for assigning people, it can sound impersonal. For official appointments, use 任命 or 指名 instead.
She was designated as the successor.
He was designated as the person in charge.
This document is designated as 'top secret'.