Translation guide
The English word 'detective' can refer to a person (police detective or private investigator) or the genre of detective fiction. In Japanese, different words are used depending on the context.
A police officer who investigates crimes
Standard term for a police detective. Used in formal and informal contexts.
He is a detective.
The detective arrived at the scene.
More formal term for an investigator, often used in official contexts or for federal agents.
The detective is gathering evidence.
A person hired to investigate, not a police officer
The genre of stories about detectives solving crimes
Someone who investigates on their own, not professionally
Means 'playing detective' or acting as a detective, often used for amateurs.
He volunteered to play detective.
刑事 (keiji) is a police detective, while 探偵 (tantei) is a private detective. Using the wrong one can cause confusion. In fiction, 探偵 often refers to iconic characters like Sherlock Holmes, while 刑事 is used for police characters.
When talking about a specific detective, you can use their title + name, e.g., 刑事の田中さん (Detective Tanaka). For private detectives, 探偵の名前 (name) is common.
I hired a detective to investigate.
Explicitly 'private detective', used to distinguish from police detectives.
I visited a private detective's office.
このミステリーは面白い。
This mystery is interesting.
Literally 'reasoning novel', emphasizes logical deduction. Often used interchangeably with 探偵小説.
Reading detective novels is my hobby.