Translation guide
A luminous body is any object that emits light, such as the sun, stars, or a lamp. In Japanese, the most common and natural way to express this depends on context: whether you mean a celestial body, an artificial light source, or a general term.
Referring to a natural celestial object that emits light, like the sun or a star.
General term for a luminous body, often used in scientific or formal contexts. Can refer to both natural and artificial light sources.
太陽は代表的な発光体です。
The sun is a typical luminous body.
Literally 'shining celestial body'. More descriptive and slightly less formal than 発光体. Suitable for everyday conversation about stars and planets.
夜空にはたくさんの光る天体が見える。
You can see many luminous bodies in the night sky.
Specifically a fixed star, a self-luminous celestial body. Use only when you mean a star like the sun, not a planet or moon.
恒星は自ら光を放つ天体です。
A fixed star is a celestial body that emits its own light.
Referring to a man-made object that emits light, such as a lamp, light bulb, or LED.
Common term for a light source, used in both technical and everyday contexts. Covers lamps, bulbs, LEDs, etc.
この部屋の光源はLEDです。
The luminous body in this room is an LED.
Refers to lighting or illumination, often used for the fixture or the light itself. More about the function than the object.
While 照明 can mean the light source, it often refers to the lighting system or illumination. For a specific object like a bulb, 光源 is more precise.
Also used for artificial luminous bodies, especially in technical descriptions.
Referring to any object that emits light, without specifying natural or artificial, often in scientific or philosophical contexts.
The most direct translation for 'luminous body' in a general sense. Used in physics and astronomy.
発光体は自ら光を出す物体のことです。
A luminous body is an object that emits light by itself.
A less common, more literary term for a luminous body. Can sound poetic or archaic.
In Japanese, there is no single word that perfectly matches 'luminous body' in all contexts. Choose the term based on whether you mean a star, a lamp, or a general light-emitting object.
Directly translating 'luminous body' as 輝く体 (kagayaku karada) would be unnatural and confusing. Use the appropriate term from the options above.
部屋の照明を消してください。
Please turn off the luminous body in the room.
The luminous body of this device is made of a special material.
I gazed at the luminous body shining in the night sky.