Translation guide
The English word "episode" covers several distinct meanings. This guide helps you choose the right Japanese expression depending on whether you mean a TV/radio episode, a memorable event, a medical episode, or a story installment.
Referring to a single installment of a TV series, radio program, podcast, etc.
The most common counter/word for episodes of a series. Used as a suffix after numbers.
This anime has 12 episodes in total.
I missed episode 3.
Loanword from English, commonly used for TV episodes, especially in casual contexts or when the number is not specified.
Counter for occurrences; used for episodes, especially in broadcast schedules. Often interchangeable with 話.
Referring to a noteworthy or interesting event in someone's life or in a story.
Referring to a sudden occurrence of a medical condition, such as a seizure or psychotic break.
Used for sudden attacks or fits, such as epileptic seizures, asthma attacks, or heart episodes.
Referring to a self-contained part of a larger narrative, such as in a novel or serial.
昨日のエピソード、見た？
Did you see yesterday's episode?
Look forward to the next episode.
Used for anecdotes, personal stories, or interesting incidents. Very common in this sense.
He has many interesting episodes (stories) to tell.
He told me an unforgettable episode from his trip.
Means 'event' or 'incident'. More neutral and less story-like than エピソード. Suitable for factual accounts.
That was the strangest episode (event) in my life.
Anecdote, often about a famous person. More literary or formal.
This book contains many episodes (anecdotes) about the author.
He had an epileptic episode.
Also used in medical contexts, especially for psychiatric episodes (e.g., depressive episode).
The depressive episode recurred.
Commonly used for a distinct story or incident within a larger work.
This novel is composed of several episodes.
Literary term for an inserted episode or digression. Rare in everyday speech.
This episode is unrelated to the main plot.
Yesterday's episode was interesting.
While エピソード can mean a memorable event, it often implies a story-like quality. For a neutral 'event' or 'incident', use 出来事 (できごと). Using エピソード for a mundane occurrence may sound odd.
He told us an episode from his childhood.
She had a psychotic episode.