鎖
kusari[kɯ̟̊sa̠ɾʲi]
The English word chain is translated into Japanese as 鎖 (kusari). Wiktionary also lists チェーン (chēn).
Meaning: series of interconnected rings or links (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 鎖 | kusari | [kɯ̟̊sa̠ɾʲi] (narrow) [to̞za̠ɕi] (narrow) |
| チェーン | chēn | [t͡ɕẽ̞ːɴ] (narrow) |
鎖 is used for physical metal chains or metaphorical chains, such as a chain of events. In technical or mathematical contexts, such as a 'Markov chain', the kanji 鎖 is the standard term. The katakana word チェーン is often used for modern contexts like bicycle chains, jewelry chains or business chains (e.g., a restaurant chain).
Which one should you use?
The word 鎖 (kusari) is typically used for physical metal chains or metaphorical chains (like a chain of events).
How do you pronounce it?
kusari
Did you know?
- While 鎖 means 'chain', the same kanji is used in the word 鎖国 (sakoku), which refers to the historical policy of 'locking the country' to isolate Japan from the world.
- The kanji for 'chain', 鎖, is also the root for the verb meaning 'to lock' or 'to shut'. This creates a linguistic link between the physical object of a chain and the act of securing a door.
- In modern Japanese, the kanji 鎖 is rarely used as a standalone word in casual writing and is instead most frequently seen within compound words.
Examples in context
- 犬が噛み付かないように鎖で繋いだ方がいいですよ。You had better chain up the dog so that he won't bite.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 鎖 when chaining up an animal.Tatoeba #175358 by bunbuku, translation #239108 by CC
- このソフトウエアはギブスサンプリングのアルゴリズムによりマルコフ連鎖モンテカルロ法の計算を行います。This software carries out Markov Chain Monte Carlo calculations by the use of Gibbs Sampling.This sentence shows the use of 鎖 in a technical mathematical context.Tatoeba #442088 by blay_paul, translation #442089 by blay_paul
- 古い銀の鎖が光っている。Furui gin no kusari ga hikatte iru.An old silver chain is shining.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are looking at a bicycle in a garage.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さん、自転車の鎖が外れているよ。Hiroto-san, jitensha no kusari ga hazurete iru yo.Hiroto, the bicycle chain has come off.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ。すぐに直すね。Hontō da. Sugu ni naosu ne.You're right. I'll fix it right away.
- 美咲 Misaki油を差したほうがいいかも。Abura o sashita hō ga ii kamo.Maybe you should put some oil on it.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうだね。ありがとう、美咲。Sō da ne. Arigatō, Misaki.Good point. Thanks, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chain” translations and entries 鎖, チェーン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries チェーン, 鎖, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
