Translation guide
The act of writing one's signature, or communicating using sign language. This guide covers both meanings, with a focus on natural Japanese expressions.
To express the act of signing a document, contract, or similar.
The most common and neutral way to say 'to sign' (one's name). Used for documents, petitions, contracts, etc.
契約書に署名してください。
Please sign the contract.
彼はその嘆願書に署名した。
He signed the petition.
Loanword from English, very common in casual and business contexts. Often used for autographs or informal signing.
ここにサインしてください。
Please sign here.
有名人にサインをもらった。
I got an autograph from a celebrity.
To write one's name, often used in formal contexts like signing a register or attendance sheet. Less common than 署名する for legal documents.
受付で記名してください。
Please sign in at the reception.
To affix one's seal (hanko). In Japan, this is often equivalent to signing, especially for official documents. Not used for handwritten signatures.
この書類に捺印してください。
Please affix your seal to this document.
To express communication through sign language.
The standard way to say 'to use sign language' or 'to sign'.
彼女は手話ができます。
She can sign.
彼らは手話で会話している。
They are signing to each other.
Both mean 'to sign', but 署名 is more formal and often used for official documents, while サイン is casual and can also mean 'autograph'. In business, サイン is acceptable for less formal signing.
The English word 'signing' can also mean making a gesture or signal, but in Japanese, that is usually expressed with 合図する (あいずする) or 身振りで示す (みぶりでしめす), not 署名 or 手話.
Literally 'to use sign language'. Slightly more formal or descriptive than 手話をする.
聴覚障害者は手話を使ってコミュニケーションをとる。
Deaf people communicate using sign language.