Translation guide
A person who leaves their own country to settle permanently in another. Japanese distinguishes between the act of leaving (emigration) and the person, with different terms for formal, legal, and everyday contexts.
The most common, general way to refer to an emigrant, focusing on the person.
General term for emigrant/immigrant. Can refer to both the person and the act of migration. Context clarifies direction.
彼はアメリカへの移民だ。
He is an emigrant to the United States.
Specifically a person who moves to another country to live. More formal than 移民 and clearly refers to a person.
多くの移住者が新しい生活を始めた。
Many emigrants started a new life.
Explicitly 'overseas emigrant'. Used when emphasizing moving abroad, often in official or statistical contexts.
海外移住者の数が増えている。
The number of emigrants is increasing.
Literally 'person who departs a country'. Used in immigration/airport contexts, but doesn't necessarily imply permanent settlement.
出国者はパスポートを提示してください。
Emigrants, please present your passport.
When referring to someone who has officially emigrated, often in government or formal documents.
A natural phrase meaning 'a person who emigrated'. Uses the verb 移住する (to emigrate) in past tense modifying 人 (person).
移住した人は手続きが必要です。
People who have emigrated need to complete procedures.
Formal term for an emigrant/immigrant person. Used in legal or statistical contexts.
移民者の権利を守る法律。
A law that protects the rights of emigrants.
Referring to emigrants in a historical context, such as Japanese emigrants to Brazil or the US.
Often used in historical contexts, e.g., 日本移民 (Japanese emigrants). Can be combined with country names.
ブラジルへの日本移民の歴史。
The history of Japanese emigrants to Brazil.
Also used historically, but 移民 is more common in compound terms like 移民船 (emigrant ship).
移民 is the most common word for emigrant/immigrant and can refer to both the person and the phenomenon. 移住者 specifically means a person who has moved to another country to live, and is slightly more formal. In everyday speech, 移民 is sufficient.
彼は移民です。
He is an emigrant/immigrant.
移住者の受け入れ政策。
Policy on accepting emigrants/immigrants.
Japanese often uses the same word 移民 for both emigrant and immigrant. Context or additional words (e.g., ～への移民 'emigrant to ~') clarify direction. If you need to be precise, use 海外移住者 for emigrant and 入国移民 for immigrant, but these are less common.
Early emigrants faced many hardships.