Translation guide
The English word "disc" (or "disk") covers several distinct concepts: a flat circular object, a storage medium (CD, DVD, hard disk), a spinal disc, and more. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese word for each meaning.
A thin, flat, round object, like a coin or a plastic disc.
A compact disc, DVD, or similar optical storage medium.
The standard term for optical discs. Often combined with the type: CD, DVD, ブルーレイディスク.
A computer's internal hard disk.
The old magnetic storage medium.
The cartilage between vertebrae.
A type of brake using a disc and caliper.
The throwing disc in athletics.
Used for the discus in track and field. The sport is 円盤投げ (discus throw).
A toy flying disc.
ディスク is a loanword used primarily for technology and media (CDs, DVDs, hard disks). 円盤 is a native Japanese word for any disc-shaped object, including the discus in sports, and can sound more formal or technical. For everyday tech items, ディスク is more natural.
Insert the disc into the computer.
a plastic disc
This disc is scratched.
Please insert the DVD disc.
Sometimes used colloquially or in science fiction for optical discs, but ディスク is much more common.
That disc contains data.
The full term for a hard disk drive. Often abbreviated to HDD.
The hard disk is running out of space.
In computing contexts, ディスク can refer to a hard disk, especially in compound words like ディスク容量 (disk space).
Check the free disk space.
The standard term for a floppy disk. Often shortened to フロッピー.
We used to use floppy disks.
Medical term for intervertebral disc. Commonly used in the phrase 椎間板ヘルニア (herniated disc).
My back hurts from a herniated disc.
The standard term for disc brakes, used in automotive and bicycle contexts.
This bicycle has disc brakes.
He won a gold medal in discus throw.
The genericized trademark for a flying disc. Also written as フライングディスク.
We played frisbee in the park.
More formal or descriptive term for a flying disc.
Participate in a flying disc tournament.
flying saucer (literally: flying disc)
For the medical term 'spinal disc', always use 椎間板 (ついかんばん). Using ディスク in this context would be confusing or sound like a mistranslation.