Translation guide
The act of practicing or going through something in your mind before actually doing it. In Japanese, this is often expressed with specific verbs and nouns related to mental practice, simulation, or imagery.
To mentally practice a skill, speech, or performance before the real thing.
A common loanword phrase meaning 'to do image training'. Widely used in sports, presentations, and skill practice.
試合前にイメージトレーニングをした。
I did mental rehearsal before the match.
Literally 'to practice in one's head'. A straightforward and natural way to express mental rehearsal.
スピーチを頭の中で練習した。
I rehearsed the speech in my head.
Uses 'rehearsal' as a loanword, emphasizing the mental aspect with 'in one's heart/mind'.
面接の前に心の中でリハーサルした。
I did a mental rehearsal before the interview.
A direct loanword from English, used in psychology or sports science contexts. Less common in everyday speech.
メンタルリハーサルはスポーツ心理学でよく使われる。
Mental rehearsal is often used in sports psychology.
To imagine a future event or conversation in detail, often to prepare for it.
Means 'to simulate'. Commonly used for mentally running through a scenario, like a conversation or plan.
会議の流れをシミュレーションした。
I simulated the flow of the meeting in my mind.
Literally 'to picture in one's head'. Emphasizes the visual imagery aspect of mental rehearsal.
成功した場面を頭の中で思い描いた。
I pictured the scene of success in my mind.
Means 'to do a dry run' or 'rehearsal'. Can be used for mental rehearsal but often implies a more formal or physical practice.
プレゼンの予行演習を頭の中でやった。
I did a mental dry run of the presentation.
To mentally review or replay something that has already happened or been learned.
Literally 'to ruminate in one's head'. Used for going over something repeatedly in your mind, often for memorization or analysis.
覚えた単語を頭の中で反芻した。
I went over the memorized words in my mind.
Means 'to repeat in one's head'. Simple and clear for mental repetition.
手順を頭の中で繰り返した。
I repeated the steps in my mind.
イメージトレーニング is the most common and versatile term for mental rehearsal in Japanese. It can be used in casual and formal contexts, and is understood across sports, business, and education.
毎朝、イメージトレーニングをしています。
I do mental rehearsal every morning.
In Japanese, リハーサル usually implies a physical rehearsal, while イメージトレーニング or 頭の中での練習 clearly indicates a mental one. Be careful not to confuse them.
リハーサルは体育館でやりますが、イメージトレーニングは家でできます。
We do the rehearsal in the gym, but you can do mental rehearsal at home.