Translation guide
The English word 'detailed' describes something that includes many small facts, parts, or aspects. In Japanese, the most natural way to express this depends on whether you are describing a thing (a detailed report, a detailed explanation) or an action (explain in detail, examine in detail). This guide covers common adjectives, adverbs, and verbs to help you sound natural.
Use when you want to say a noun (report, explanation, map, etc.) is detailed, meaning it contains a lot of specific information.
The most common and versatile word for 'detailed'. It can mean both 'detailed' and 'knowledgeable'. When describing a thing, it means that thing provides a lot of detail.
彼は詳しい報告書を提出した。
He submitted a detailed report.
もっと詳しい説明が必要です。
I need a more detailed explanation.
A more formal, often written word. It emphasizes precision and completeness. Commonly used in business or technical contexts.
詳細な分析が必要だ。
A detailed analysis is necessary.
詳細な地図を入手した。
We obtained a detailed map.
Means 'minutely detailed' or 'giving every little detail'. Often used when the level of detail is excessive or very thorough.
彼女は事細かな日記をつけている。
She keeps a detailed diary.
Use when you want to describe how an action is performed: explain in detail, examine in detail, describe in detail, etc.
The adverbial form of 詳しい. This is the most natural way to say 'in detail' for most verbs.
詳しく説明してください。
Please explain in detail.
その問題について詳しく話し合った。
We discussed the problem in detail.
The adverbial form of 詳細な. More formal than 詳しく, often used in written reports or official contexts.
調査結果を詳細に報告します。
We will report the survey results in detail.
Means 'finely' or 'in a detailed manner', often implying breaking something down into small parts. Common with verbs like 見る (look), 分ける (divide), 説明する (explain).
細かく見ていくと、問題点がいくつかある。
Looking at it in detail, there are several problems.
手順を細かく説明した。
I explained the procedure in detail.
Use when you want to say someone explains or describes something in detail, or when you ask someone to elaborate.
A common verb phrase meaning 'to state in detail' or 'to elaborate'. Suitable for both spoken and written contexts.
その点について詳しく述べてください。
Please elaborate on that point.
More formal, often used in reports or official statements.
報告書で詳細を述べた。
I gave the details in the report.
詳しい is the everyday word for 'detailed' and also means 'knowledgeable' (e.g., 彼は歴史に詳しい = He is knowledgeable about history). 詳細な is more formal and only means 'detailed' in the sense of containing precise information. Use 詳しい in most conversations, and 詳細な in formal writing or business settings.
詳細 is a noun meaning 'details'. To use it as an adjective, you must add な (詳細な). Saying 詳細報告 is possible as a compound noun, but it's less common than 詳細な報告.