抽象的
chūshōteki[t͡ɕɨːɕo̞ːte̞kʲi]
The English word 'abstract' is translated into Japanese as 抽象的 (chūshōteki).
抽象的 is an adjective used to describe things that are apart from practice or reality, or things that are not concrete. In different contexts, other words may be used to mean 'abstract'. For example, when referring to an abstract or summary, you might use 概要, 要約 or the formal academic term 抄録. For an abstract collection, the term 摘要集 is used. If you are referring specifically to an abstract work of art, the term 抽象派の is used.
Meaning: apart from practice or reality, not concrete (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 抽象, meaning abstraction and the suffix 的, which turns nouns into adjectives.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
抽象的 is a na-adjective. To modify a noun directly, you must use the form 抽象的な. In a plain sentence, it requires だ or です to function as a predicate, such as in the form 抽象的だ.
How do you pronounce it?
chūshōteki
Did you know?
- The root word 抽象 is composed of two characters: 抽, meaning to extract or pull out, and 象, meaning shape or form. Together, they literally suggest the act of 'extracting a shape' from a mass.
- The character 象 in 抽象 is the same character found in 象 (elephant), meaning the visual components of the word for 'abstract' are shared with the word for a large animal.
- In many Japanese business contexts, if a plan is described as 抽象的, it is often a polite way of saying the plan lacks any concrete or actionable details.
Examples in context
- あなたの説明は私には抽象的すぎます。Your explanation is too abstract to me.This sentence shows how to describe an explanation that is too abstract.Tatoeba #233122 by bunbuku, translation #70493 by al_ex_an_der
- 彼にとって、飢えというのは抽象的な概念であった。彼には常に十分な食料があったからだ。For him, hunger was an abstract concept. He had always had enough food.This sentence illustrates the use of 抽象的 when describing a concept.Tatoeba #934590 by thyc244, translation #932544 by FeuDRenais
- 論文の摘要をお送りします。I will send you the abstract of the research paper.
- この資料には研究の要約が含まれています。This document contains a summary of the research.
- 研究発表の抄録を書くのに手間取っています。I'm struggling to write the abstract for my research presentation.
- その本の内容は観念的で理解しづらいです。The content of that book is abstract and hard to understand.
- 最近のアートは抽象的な要素が多いですね。Contemporary art often contains many abstract elements.
- その理論は少し抽象的ですね。Sono riron wa sukoshi chushoteki desu ne.That theory is a bit abstract, isn't it?
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are discussing a project idea.
- 陽太 Yotaもっと具体的な案を出してほしいな。Motto gutaiteki na an o dashite hoshii na.I want you to come up with more concrete ideas.
- 結衣 Yuiごめん、まだ考え方が抽象的だったかも。Gomen, mada kangaekata ga chūshōteki datta kamo.Sorry, my way of thinking might have been too abstract.
- 陽太 Yota大丈夫。まずは大枠を決めよう。Daijōbu. Mazu wa owaku o kimeyō.It's okay. Let's decide on the general framework first.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう、陽太。頑張るね。Arigatō, Yōta. Ganbaru ne.Thanks, Yota. I'll do my best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “abstract” translations and entries 抽象的, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 抽象的, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
