Translation guide
The genre of speculative fiction dealing with imaginative concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, and extraterrestrial life.
Referring to the literary or film genre of science fiction.
The most common and natural way to say 'science fiction' in Japanese. Often used as a noun or adjective. Can also be written as エスエフ.
I like science fiction movies.
SF can be used directly before a noun to mean 'science fiction', like SF映画 (SF movie) or SF作家 (SF writer). No particle is needed.
I want to become a science fiction writer.
彼はSF小説をたくさん読んでいる。
He reads a lot of science fiction novels.
The full loanword from English. Less common than SF, but used in formal or explanatory contexts.
This work is a masterpiece of science fiction.
A literal translation meaning 'imaginative science novel'. Rarely used in modern Japanese; mostly historical or in very formal writing.
The term 'kuusou kagaku shousetsu' is not used much nowadays.