Translation guide
The English word "dot" covers small round marks, the punctuation symbol, and the concept in domain names and URLs. This guide organizes the most useful Japanese equivalents by these meanings.
A tiny circular mark, spot, or point, often on a surface.
General word for a dot, point, or spot. Used in many contexts, from a dot on paper to a decimal point.
Put a dot on the paper.
地図上の点
a dot on the map
Loanword from English, often used in technical or design contexts, such as pixels or dot patterns.
Refers to spots or specks, often on animals, plants, or as stains. More specific than 点.
てんとう虫の斑点
the spots on a ladybug
The dot used at the end of a sentence or in abbreviations.
The Japanese term for the full stop or period mark (。). Note that the Japanese period is a small circle, not a dot.
文の終わりに句点を打つ。
Put a period at the end of the sentence.
Loanword for the English period (.). Used when specifically referring to the dot-shaped punctuation mark.
Sometimes used for the dot in URLs or email addresses, but ドット is more common in technical contexts.
URLのドット
the dot in a URL
The dot symbol used in web addresses, email addresses, or as a decimal separator.
Standard way to say 'dot' in web/email contexts. For example, 'example dot com' is エグザンプルドットコム.
私のメールアドレスは、tanaka@example.com です。
My email address is tanaka at example dot com.
Used for decimal points in numbers. For example, 3.14 is read as さんてんいちよん.
3.14
three point one four
Expressions like 'on the dot' or 'dot of' meaning a tiny bit.
Means 'exactly' or 'on the dot' when referring to time. Not a literal translation of 'dot', but the natural equivalent.
彼は3時ちょうどに来た。
He came at three on the dot.
Means 'just a little bit' or 'a dot of'. Used for small quantities.
ほんの少しの塩を加える。
Add a dot of salt.
English 'on the dot' is not translated with 点 or ドット. Use ちょうど (exactly) or きっかり (sharp) instead.
会議は10時きっかりに始まった。
The meeting started at ten on the dot.
点 is the native Japanese word for a dot or point, used broadly. ドット is a loanword used mainly in computing, design, and when spelling out URLs/emails. For decimal points, use 点.
英語では文末にピリオドを使う。
In English, you use a period at the end of a sentence.