Translation guide
The process of converting analog information into digital form. In Japanese, the most common term is デジタル化, but other expressions exist for specific contexts like data entry or image scanning.
To express the broad concept of making something digital, such as documents, processes, or systems.
The most common and versatile term for digitization. It can refer to converting physical media to digital, or shifting to digital systems.
会社は書類のデジタル化を進めています。
The company is promoting the digitization of documents.
デジタル化によって業務が効率化された。
Operations were made more efficient through digitization.
Often used interchangeably with デジタル化, but can emphasize conversion to electronic form. Common in business and administrative contexts.
申請手続きの電子化が完了しました。
The digitization of application procedures has been completed.
A loanword from English, used mainly in IT or business contexts. Less common than デジタル化.
デジタイゼーションのプロジェクトが始まった。
The digitization project has started.
To specifically refer to the act of inputting analog information into a computer as digital data.
Focuses on turning something into data. Often used for converting paper records into digital databases.
紙のアンケートをデータ化する。
Digitize paper questionnaires (into data).
Means 'input' or 'entry'. Used when the focus is on the manual act of typing or entering data.
名刺の情報を入力する。
Enter business card information (digitize business cards).
To describe converting physical images or documents into digital images via scanning.
The most direct term for scanning. Used as a noun or a verb (スキャンする).
写真をスキャンしてパソコンに取り込む。
Scan photos and import them into the computer.
Literally 'image-ification'. Used when converting something into an image format, often in technical contexts.
文書を画像化して保存する。
Digitize documents as images and save them.
Both mean 'digitization', but デジタル化 is more common in everyday and business language. 電子化 is often used in official or administrative contexts, and can imply a shift to electronic systems rather than just data conversion.
政府は行政の電子化を推進している。
The government is promoting the digitization of administration.
The suffix 化 (か) is very productive and can be attached to many nouns to mean '-ization'. For example, IT化 (IT adoption), ペーパーレス化 (going paperless). This pattern is useful for coining new terms.