Translation guide
A test, check, or assessment done before the main event, often to filter candidates or gather initial information. In Japanese, the expression depends heavily on context: academic entrance exams, medical checkups, job screenings, or legal hearings.
preliminary exam (academic)
preliminary medical checkup
first-round interview
An exam taken to qualify for admission to a school, program, or next stage.
Common term for a preliminary or preparatory exam, especially for professional qualifications (e.g., bar exam) or university entrance.
I passed the preliminary examination for the bar exam.
First-stage exam, often used when there are multiple rounds of testing.
A preliminary medical examination or health screening before a procedure, employment, or regular checkup.
A preliminary screening or first-round interview in a hiring process.
First-round interview, often used as a preliminary screening step.
A preliminary hearing or examination in a legal context.
予備試験 (yobi shiken) is often a separate preparatory exam, while 一次試験 (ichiji shiken) is the first stage of a multi-stage exam. Use 予備試験 for exams like the bar exam preliminary, and 一次試験 for first-round tests in a series.
Literally 'entrance exam'. Often used for the main exam, but can refer to a preliminary screening test in some contexts.
There is a preliminary entrance exam next month.
The preliminary examination is written only.
Please undergo a preliminary medical examination before joining the company.
Preliminary medical interview or examination, often by a nurse before seeing a doctor.
First, you will be asked about your symptoms in a preliminary examination.
Screening test, often used for early detection of diseases.
Undergo a preliminary screening examination for cancer.
The preliminary examination is a group discussion.
Document screening, a preliminary step before interviews.
If you pass the preliminary document screening, you proceed to the first interview.
Preliminary screening or review, often for applications or qualifications.
There is a preliminary examination of application documents.
At the preliminary examination, the evidence was deemed insufficient.
Preliminary judicial examination, similar to a grand jury proceeding.
A preliminary examination was held.
If you pass the preliminary exam, the first-stage exam is waived.
The phrase 'preliminary examination' does not have a single direct equivalent in Japanese. Always choose the term based on context (medical, academic, legal, etc.). Using 予備試験 for a medical checkup would sound odd.