Translation guide
The English word 'extension' covers several distinct ideas: making something longer or larger, adding extra time, a telephone line, a file suffix, and more. This guide organizes the most useful Japanese expressions by meaning.
To express the act of extending something in length, size, or scope, or the state of being extended.
Most common for extending length, duration, or a deadline. Used for both physical and abstract extensions.
会議の延長が決まった。
It was decided to extend the meeting.
この道路の延長工事は来月始まる。
The extension work on this road will start next month.
Used for expanding scope, capacity, or functionality, like extending a building or a computer's memory.
メモリの拡張が必要だ。
I need a memory extension.
店舗を拡張して売り場を広くした。
We extended the store and made the sales floor larger.
Refers to physical stretching or elongation, often used in technical or biological contexts.
この素材は伸長率が高い。
This material has a high extension rate.
To express giving more time, such as for a payment, assignment, or visa.
The standard term for extending a time limit or period.
ビザの延長を申請した。
I applied for a visa extension.
レポートの提出期限の延長をお願いできますか。
Could I request an extension for the report deadline?
Means grace period or postponement, often used in formal contexts like loan repayments.
To refer to an additional phone line within an office or building.
The standard term for a telephone extension number.
内線123をお願いします。
Extension 123, please.
To refer to the suffix of a file name indicating its type.
The technical term for file extension.
このファイルの拡張子は「.txt」です。
The extension of this file is '.txt'.
To express broadening the scope or application of an idea, theory, or service.
Means enlargement or expansion, often used for extending influence or scope.
事業の拡大を計画している。
We are planning an extension of our business.
Literary term for expounding or elaborating on an idea; rarely used in daily conversation.
To refer to artificial hair added to natural hair.
The loanword commonly used for hair extensions.
彼女はエクステンションをつけて髪を長く見せている。
She wears extensions to make her hair look longer.
A more general term for hairpieces or wigs, sometimes used for extensions.
付け毛でボリュームを出した。
I added volume with hair extensions.
延長 (えんちょう) is for extending length or time. 拡張 (かくちょう) is for expanding capacity or functionality. 拡大 (かくだい) is for enlarging scale or scope. Choose based on what is being extended.
I was granted an extension for payment.
As an extension of his theory, a new hypothesis was born.