Translation guide
Ways to express giving or receiving spoken directions, guidance, or teaching in Japanese, depending on formality and context.
Please follow the oral instructions.
Literally 'oral explanation'. Often used when someone explains something verbally rather than in writing.
Is the oral explanation sufficient?
Used in formal or technical contexts, such as medical or legal settings, meaning 'oral guidance' or 'verbal instruction'.
The procedure was performed based on the doctor's oral instructions.
To refer to teaching or instructing someone orally, often in an educational setting.
To refer to giving a spoken command or order, often in a hierarchical or military context.
口頭 (こうとう) means 'oral' or 'verbal', emphasizing the spoken medium. 口述 (こうじゅつ) means 'oral statement' or 'dictation', often used in legal or formal recording contexts. For general 'oral instruction', 口頭 is more appropriate.
The English word 'oral' can be translated as 口頭 (こうとう) or 口述 (こうじゅつ), but in many casual contexts, Japanese speakers might simply use 言葉で (ことばで, 'in words') or 直接 (ちょくせつ, 'directly') instead of a formal compound. Overusing 口頭 can sound stiff.
My understanding deepened through the teacher's oral instruction.
We started the work based on oral instructions.