Translation guide
The English word 'percent' is expressed in Japanese using the word パーセント (pāsento), a loanword from English. It is used after a number to indicate a percentage. In formal or written contexts, the kanji 割 (わり) can be used for tenths (10% = 1割). There are also native Japanese words like 百分率 (ひゃくぶんりつ) for 'percentage' as a concept.
To say 'X percent' in Japanese, attach パーセント after the number.
The standard way to say 'percent' in Japanese. It is a loanword from English and is used in almost all contexts, from casual to formal.
There is a 20 percent discount.
This juice is 100 percent fruit juice.
The percent sign is commonly used in writing, especially in formal documents, statistics, and signs. It is read as パーセント.
The consumption tax is 10 percent.
Means 'tenth' or '10 percent'. Commonly used in discounts, batting averages, and probabilities. 1割 = 10%, 2割 = 20%, etc. Often used in spoken Japanese for rough percentages.
A formal term meaning 'percentage'. Used in mathematical or technical contexts, not in everyday conversation.
To ask 'what percent?' or 'how many percent?', use 何パーセント.
The standard way to ask 'what percent?'. Place it in a sentence like a noun.
What percent is the discount?
What percent of people agreed?
Sometimes 'percent' is used loosely in English to mean a portion. In Japanese, use 割合 (わりあい) or 率 (りつ) for 'rate' or 'ratio'.
パーセント is the direct equivalent of 'percent' and is used in most situations. 割 (わり) means 'tenth' and is common in discounts, batting averages, and informal settings. For example, 20% off can be 20パーセントオフ or 2割引 (にわりびき). Note that 2割引 means 20% off, not 20% of the original price.
20 percent off
20 percent off (literally: 2-tenths discount)
割 (わり) means 'tenth' in percentages, but 割合 (わりあい) means 'ratio' or 'proportion'. Saying 割合が高い means 'the proportion is high', not 'the percent is high' (though it can be similar). Use パーセント for specific percentages.
Only 10 percent of students passed the exam.
The probability is less than 1 percent.
This item is 30 percent off.
His batting average is .350 (35 percent).
Please express it as a percentage.
The unemployment rate is 5 percent.