Translation guide
The English verb 'summon' covers calling someone to appear, calling upon a quality or spirit, and formally ordering attendance. Japanese uses different verbs depending on what is being summoned and the context.
To ask or order someone to come to you, often in a formal or authoritative context.
General term for summoning someone, such as calling them out of a room or to a place. Can be used in both formal and casual settings.
上司に呼び出された。
I was summoned by my boss.
彼を会議室に呼び出してください。
Please summon him to the conference room.
Formal or legal term for summoning, such as a court summons. Also used in fantasy contexts for summoning creatures.
裁判所が証人を召喚した。
The court summoned the witness.
To summon someone to your location, often implying they come from a distance. Slightly softer than 呼び出す.
Polite noun form, often used in customer service or formal announcements (e.g., paging someone).
お呼び出しを申し上げます。
Paging Mr./Ms. [Name].
To gather or muster courage, strength, energy, etc., from within oneself.
To call forth a supernatural entity through magic or ritual.
Standard term for summoning in fantasy, games, and occult contexts.
魔法使いが悪魔を召喚した。
The wizard summoned a demon.
To issue an official order requiring someone to attend court, a hearing, etc.
Legal term for issuing a summons.
裁判所は被告を召喚した。
The court summoned the defendant.
To call people together for a meeting or gathering.
呼び出す is the everyday word for calling someone to come. 召喚する is formal and used for legal summons or magical summoning. Using 召喚する for calling a friend would sound strange.
The English loanword サモン (samon) is used almost exclusively in gaming contexts (e.g., summoning monsters). It is not natural for everyday situations.
彼は家族を東京に呼び寄せた。
He summoned his family to Tokyo.
Literally 'wring out', used for summoning the last of one's strength, courage, or voice. Often used with 勇気 (courage) or 声 (voice).
勇気を振り絞って彼女に話しかけた。
I summoned up my courage and spoke to her.
最後の力を振り絞った。
I summoned the last of my strength.
To stir up or summon courage, energy, etc. More literary than 振り絞る.
勇気を奮い起こして立ち向かった。
He summoned his courage and faced it.
To put strength into something; to summon power for a specific action.
彼は腕に力を込めて岩を持ち上げた。
He summoned strength in his arms and lifted the rock.
Also used for summoning spirits or familiars, though less formal than 召喚する.
霊を呼び出す儀式
a ritual to summon spirits
Literally 'issue an order to appear', used in legal contexts.
検察は証人に出頭命令を出した。
The prosecution summoned the witness.
緊急の会議が招集された。
An emergency meeting was summoned.