Translation guide
The genitive case in English expresses possession, association, or a relationship between two nouns. Japanese does not have a case system like English; instead, it uses the particle の (no) to link nouns, along with other structures depending on the meaning.
Indicate that something belongs to someone or something.
The particle の links two nouns, where A possesses B. This is the most common way to express the genitive in Japanese.
これは私の本です。
This is my book.
田中さんの車は新しい。
Tanaka's car is new.
Show a relationship between two entities, such as a person and their school, company, or family member.
の also expresses non-possessive relationships, like 'my friend' or 'the company's president'.
彼は私の友達です。
He is my friend.
Describe a characteristic, type, or material of something.
Express that something is a part of a larger whole, or the content of something.
の indicates that B is a part or member of A, like 'the leg of the table' or 'a group of students'.
机の脚が折れた。
The leg of the desk broke.
Specify a location or time in relation to something else.
の can connect a location or time word to a noun, like 'Tokyo's weather' or 'today's news'.
東京の天気はどうですか。
How is Tokyo's weather?
Clarify or rename a noun, like 'the city of Kyoto' or 'the problem of pollution'.
の can be used where two nouns refer to the same thing, often translated as 'of' or an appositive in English.
京都の町は美しい。
The city of Kyoto is beautiful.
Show the subject or object of an action within a noun phrase, like 'the arrival of the train' or 'the love of music'.
When B is a verbal noun (like 到着 'arrival' or 愛 'love'), の can mark the subject or object, depending on context.
電車の到着を待っている。
I'm waiting for the arrival of the train.
Refer to something belonging to someone without repeating the noun, like 'mine' or 'Tanaka's'.
While の is versatile, long chains of の can sound awkward. Try to rephrase or use alternative structures when possible.
私の友達のお母さんの車
My friend's mother's car
In relative clauses, の can sometimes replace が to mark the subject, especially in formal or written Japanese. This is a remnant of classical Japanese genitive usage.
あの人は会社の社長です。
That person is the company's president.
He is an English teacher.
A group of students came.
今日の新聞を読みましたか。
Did you read today's newspaper?
The problem of pollution is serious.
音楽の愛は世界共通だ。
The love of music is universal.
Is that umbrella Tanaka's?
The book I wrote
私が書いた本
The book I wrote