爆弾
bakudan[ba̠kɯ̟dã̠ɴ]
The English word "bomb" is translated into Japanese as 爆弾 (bakudan). Wiktionary also lists ボム (bomu) and 爆ぜ弾 (hazedama).
Meaning: device filled with explosives (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 爆弾 | bakudan | [ba̠kɯ̟dã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| ボム | bomu | [bo̞mɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 爆ぜ弾 | hazedama | [ha̠ze̞da̠ma̠] (narrow) |
爆弾 refers to a device filled with explosives.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 爆弾 is composed of the characters for "explode" (爆) and "bullet/projectile" (弾).
Which one should you use?
爆弾 is the standard noun for a physical bomb. In contrast, the katakana loanword ボム is often used in video games or pop culture to refer to specific types of magical or special attacks.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bakudan
Did you know?
- In Japanese slang, 爆弾 can refer to a 'bomb' of a secret or a shocking revelation that disrupts a social situation. It is often used when someone drops a piece of news that changes the mood of a room instantly.
- In Japanese finance and banking, a 爆弾 refers to a high-risk loan or a debt obligation that is likely to default and cause a crisis.
- The character 弾 in 爆弾 also means 'to bounce' or 'to recoil'. This reveals a historical linguistic connection between the idea of a projectile and the physical action of springing back.
Examples in context
- それって、爆弾？Is it a bomb?This sentence is useful for asking if something is a 爆弾.Tatoeba #11038575 by small_snow, translation #6105969 by CK
- 箱の中に爆弾があるぞ！There's a bomb in the box!This sentence is useful for stating that there is a 爆弾 in a box.Tatoeba #11455429 by small_snow, translation #9365853 by DJ_Saidez
- 原子爆弾は恐ろしい武器だ。An A-bomb is a terrible weapon.This sentence is useful for describing an atomic 爆弾 as a weapon.Tatoeba #121389 by KK_kaku_, translation #282617 by Eldad
- 爆弾を解除してください。Please defuse the bomb.
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A detective and a rookie are investigating an old warehouse.
- 結衣 Yuiあそこに爆弾がある！Asoko ni bakudan ga aru!There is a bomb over there!
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ、結衣さん。危ないですね。Hontou da, Yui-san. Abunai desu ne.It's true, Yui. That's dangerous.
- 結衣 Yui大翔、すぐに警察に連絡して！Hiroto, sugu ni keisatsu ni renraku shite!Hiroto, call the police immediately!
- 大翔 Hirotoわかりました、今すぐやります。Wakarimashita, ima sugu yarimasu.Understood, I'll do it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bomb” translations and entries 爆弾, ボム, 爆ぜ弾, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
