Translation guide
The English word 'microwave' can refer to the appliance itself, the act of cooking with it, or the electromagnetic wave. This guide covers how to express these concepts naturally in Japanese.
Referring to the microwave oven as a kitchen appliance.
The standard word for a microwave oven. Often shortened to just レンジ in casual speech.
電子レンジで温めてください。
Please heat it up in the microwave.
新しい電子レンジを買った。
I bought a new microwave.
Casual abbreviation of 電子レンジ. Very common in everyday conversation.
レンジでチンして。
Just nuke it in the microwave.
The act of cooking or heating something in a microwave oven.
Literally 'to warm up in the microwave'. The most natural way to express 'to microwave'.
残り物を電子レンジで温めた。
I microwaved the leftovers.
More formal or technical, meaning 'to heat in the microwave'. Used in instructions or written contexts.
食品を電子レンジで加熱する際は注意してください。
Please be careful when heating food in the microwave.
Slang combining レンジ and チン (the sound of the microwave). Very casual, used mainly by younger people.
これ、レンチンしていい？
Can I microwave this?
Referring to the microwave as a type of electromagnetic radiation.
The technical term for microwaves as electromagnetic waves.
マイクロ波は通信にも使われる。
Microwaves are also used for communication.
The English loanword マイクロウェーブ is not commonly used for the kitchen appliance. Use 電子レンジ or レンジ instead.