暗号
angō[ã̠ŋɡo̞ː]
The Japanese word for 'cipher' is 暗号 (angō).
The term 暗号 refers to a cipher or code. It is used for mathematical and cryptographic ciphers as well as for secret codes found in games or spy fiction.
Meaning: method for concealing the meaning of text (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the characters 暗 (dark/hidden) and 号 (number/sign/code), literally meaning 'hidden sign'.
How do you pronounce it?
angō
Did you know?
- While 暗号 refers to the code itself, the act of decoding it is called 解読, which uses the character for 'untie' or 'unravel'.
- In historical contexts, Japanese 'hidden codes' often relied on the visual structure of kanji rather than just a substitution of characters.
- Japanese often uses the English word 'code' written as コード for computer programming, but they will almost always use 暗号 for a secret message.
Examples in context
- 暗号の解読に時間がかかります。Deciphering the code takes time.
- このメッセージは暗号化されています。This message is encrypted.
- この暗号を解いてください。Kono angō o toite kudasai.Please solve this cipher.
- 高度な暗号を使っています。Kōdo na angō o tsukatte imasu.They are using a sophisticated cipher.
- 暗号の仕組みが分かりません。Angō no shikumi ga wakarimasen.I don't understand the mechanism of the cipher.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are looking at a mysterious note.
- 蓮 Renこれ、暗号かな？Kore, angō kana?Is this a cipher?
- 陽葵 Himariたぶん、そうだと思う。Tabun, sō da to omou.Probably, I think so.
- 蓮 Renどうやって解けばいいのかな。Dō yatte tokeba ii no kana.I wonder how we should solve it.
- 陽葵 Himari少し調べてみよう。Sukoshi shirabete miyō.Let's try looking it up a bit.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 暗号, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
