Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| クライアント | kuraianto | [kɯ̟ɾa̠iã̠nto̞] (narrow) | |
| 客 | kyaku | [kʲa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) [ma̠ɾo̞ːdo̞] (narrow) |
|
| お客さん | o-kyaku-san | [o̞kʲa̠kɯ̟̊sã̠ɴ] (narrow) | honorific |
| 顧客 | kokyaku | [ko̞kʲa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) [ko̞ka̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The word for client depends on whether you are talking about a business partner, a technical computing term or a general customer. In professional business settings like IT consulting or advertising, the loanword クライアント is common. In computing, it specifically refers to a client in a client-server model. For a person who has commissioned a specific service or made a request, you might use 依頼主 or its more polite version ご依頼主. General customers or guests in retail or hospitality are often referred to as 客.
Which one should you use?
The terms vary significantly by context. クライアント is a loanword used primarily in professional business or technical computing environments. 客 is a general term for a customer or guest often used in casual or retail settings. お客さん is the polite version of 客 used in daily conversation or service industries. 顧客 is a formal and technical term used in marketing, legal or business contexts to refer to a customer base or a specific client.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
クライアント is used in professional business contexts. 客 is a general, more casual term. お客さん is a polite way to refer to a customer in daily conversation or the service industry. 顧客 is a formal term suitable for professional or technical business documents. For highly respectful situations, the term お客様 is a very common and polite way to refer to a client.
How do you pronounce it?
kuraianto
Did you know?
- In the Japanese service industry, there is a common proverb that 'the customer is god' using the word お客様. This reflects an extreme level of hospitality and deference toward clients.
- The term 客 shares the same Middle Chinese roots as the word for 'guest' in many other East Asian languages. This demonstrates how the concept of a 'temporary visitor' or 'outsider' is culturally shared across the region.
- While 客 is used for customers, the word 客寄せ refers to the specific act of attracting people into a shop, often using a loud voice or a costume.
Examples in context
- だけど、明日はお客さんとも会わなくちゃいけないし・・・。But I have an appointment with my client tomorrow.This sentence shows how to use 客 to mention an appointment with a customer.Tatoeba #203681 by arnab, translation #40919 by timmartin
- Mozilla Foundationは5月1日、メール/ニュースクライアントソフトの最新版「Thunderbird 2.0.0.14」をリリースした。The Mozilla Foundation released the latest version of its email/news-client software, "Thunderbird 2.0.0.14" on May 1st.This sentence uses クライアント in a technical sense to refer to software.Tatoeba #74084 by fcbond, translation #329636 by fcbond
- 依頼主からの連絡をお待ちしています。We are waiting for contact from the client.
- クライアントの要求を聞いてみてください。Please listen to the client's request.
- 依頼人の提案は面白いですね。The client's proposal is interesting, isn't it?
- 新しいクライアントとの商談があります。Atarashii kuraianto tono shōdan ga arimasu.I have a business meeting with a new client.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking at the office.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太さん、クライアントから連絡がありましたか？Yota-san, kuraianto kara renraku ga arimashita ka?Yota, have you heard back from the client?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、さっきメールが届きましたよ。Hai, sakki mēru ga todokimashita yo.Yes, an email arrived a moment ago.
- 美咲 Misaki内容はどうでしたか？Naiyō wa dō deshita ka?What did it say?
- 陽太 Yota提案書に賛成してくれたみたいです。Teiansho ni sansei shite kureta mitai desu.It seems they agreed to the proposal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “client” translations and entries クライアント, 客, お客さん, 顧客, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries クライアント, 客, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
