Translation guide
The English preposition 'of' has no single Japanese equivalent. It is expressed through possessive particles, noun modification, and context-dependent patterns. This guide organizes the most common meanings and shows how to express them naturally in Japanese.
Expressing that something belongs to someone or something.
Indicating that something is a part or component of something else.
The same の pattern is used for part-whole relationships. A is the whole, B is the part.
机の脚が折れた。
The leg of the desk broke.
このケーキの半分を食べた。
I ate half of this cake.
Describing what something is made of or contains.
Indicating where someone or something comes from.
から means 'from', and の turns it into a noun modifier. Use for physical origin or source.
彼は東京からの手紙を受け取った。
He received a letter from Tokyo.
出身 means 'origin' or 'hailing from'. Used for people's origins.
Expressing amounts, numbers, or measurements.
Introducing the subject or topic of something.
について means 'about' or 'concerning'. Add の to modify a noun.
環境についての本
a book about the environment
に関する is a more formal way to say 'regarding' or 'concerning'.
Describing a quality or feature of something.
Clarifying that two nouns refer to the same thing.
There is no single Japanese word for 'of'. The particle の covers many uses, but not all. Translating 'of' word-for-word often leads to unnatural Japanese. Always consider the relationship between the nouns and choose the appropriate pattern.
愛の力
the power of love
When 'of' is part of a gerund or abstract concept (e.g., 'the act of doing'), Japanese often uses こと or の to nominalize verbs. の is more common in spoken Japanese, while こと is more formal or abstract.
a glass cup (a cup made of glass)
水の入ったボトル
a bottle of water
a friend from Osaka
rules concerning safety
I'm waiting for him to come. (lit. waiting for the event of him coming)
In many cases, English 'of' is simply omitted in Japanese compound nouns. For example, 'city hall' is 市役所 (しやくしょ), not 'hall of the city'. When a compound noun exists in Japanese, use it instead of forcing a の construction.
I'm waiting for him to come. (lit. waiting for the event of him coming)
In many cases, English 'of' is simply omitted in Japanese compound nouns. For example, 'city hall' is 市役所 (しやくしょ), not 'hall of the city'. When a compound noun exists in Japanese, use it instead of forcing a の construction.