算盤
soroban[so̞ɾo̞bã̠ɴ]
The English word "abacus" is translated into Japanese as 算盤 (soroban). Wiktionary also lists アバカス (abakasu).
Meaning: device for performing arithmetical calculations (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 算盤 | soroban | [so̞ɾo̞bã̠ɴ] (narrow) [sã̠mbã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| アバカス | abakasu | [a̠ba̠ka̠sɨ] (narrow) |
The word refers to a device used for performing arithmetical calculations.
Which one should you use?
The term 算盤 (soroban) refers specifically to the traditional Japanese abacus. In contrast, アバカス (abakasu) is a loanword used for the general concept of an abacus.
How do you pronounce it?
soroban
Did you know?
- The reading 'soroban' first appeared in a 1595 trilingual dictionary that translated between Latin, Portuguese and Japanese.
- The reading soroban is actually a linguistic mystery, as it does not follow the standard Japanese pronunciation patterns for the Chinese-derived kanji characters.
Examples in context
- 手を算盤として六進法で計算するcalculate in base-6 using one's hands as an abacusThe first example shows how to use 算盤 in a sentence about using one's hands for calculation.
- 算盤とは日本のアバカスのことだ。A "soroban" is a type of Japanese abacus.The second example uses 算盤 to define what a soroban is.Tatoeba #1598218 by Bah_Dure, translation #1597376 by Chelsea
- いや算盤やってるから暗算得意なのかと思って。No, I just thought that since you can use an abacus, you might be good at doing calculations in your head.The third example uses 算盤 in a conversation regarding mental arithmetic skills.Tatoeba #1619858 by mookeee, translation #1636234 by ari_diary
- そろばんを使った計算方法は古くから日本で広く使われています。The calculation method using an abacus has been widely used in Japan since ancient times.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are looking at an old antique shop window.
- 蓮 Renあの古い算盤、かっこいいね。Ano furui soroban, kakkoii ne.That old abacus is cool, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ。レトロな感じがするね。Hontou da. Retoro na kanji ga suru ne.It really is. It has a retro feel.
- 蓮 Ren今でも計算に使えるのかな。Ima demo keisan ni tsukaeru no kana.I wonder if it can still be used for calculations.
- 美咲 Misakiたぶん、練習用には使えると思うよ。Tabun, renshuu-you ni wa tsukaeru to omou yo.Maybe it can be used for practice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “abacus” translations and entries 算盤, アバカス, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries アバカス, 算盤, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
