シカゴ
Shikago[ɕi̥ka̠ɡo̞]
The English phrase Chicago is translated into Japanese as シカゴ (Shikago).
シカゴ is used as the name of the large US city in Japanese.
Meaning: large US city (name)
How do you pronounce it?
Shikago
Did you know?
- If you were to write the name using Kanji, the characters would be chosen for their sounds rather than their meanings. This is called 'ateji', and it is a way to give a foreign name a Japanese appearance.
- Because the Japanese 'shi' sound is used for the first syllable, some English speakers might accidentally mishear the Japanese pronunciation of シカゴ as 'she-ka-go'.
- While the English name originates from a Native American word meaning 'wild garlic' or 'onions', the Japanese version シカゴ loses all connection to this botanical meaning through its phonetic translation.
Examples in context
- 舞台はシカゴに変わった。The scene shifted to Chicago.This sentence is useful for showing how the scene of a story or play shifts to シカゴ.Tatoeba #84254 by KK_kaku_, translation #319461 by shekitten
- 私は来週シカゴに行きます。I'm leaving for Chicago next week.This sentence is useful for stating your intention to go to シカゴ.Tatoeba #152412 by bunbuku, translation #262138 by CK
- ６時半にシカゴに着きます。It'll arrive in Chicago at 6:30.This sentence is useful for specifying an arrival time in シカゴ.Tatoeba #235031 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #72408 by CN
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are talking about their travel plans.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、シカゴに行ったことがありますか？Kentasan wa, Shikago ni itta koto ga arimasu ka?Kenta, have you ever been to Chicago?
- 健太 Kentaいいえ、一度も行ったことがないです。Iie, ichido mo itta koto ga nai desu.No, I have never been there.
- 美咲 Misakiシカゴはとてもいい街らしいですよ。Shikago wa totemo ii machi rashii desu yo.I heard Chicago is a very nice city.
- 健太 Kentaいつかぜひ行ってみたいです。Itsuka zehi itte mitai desu.I would definitely like to go there someday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicago” translations and entries シカゴ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries シカゴ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
