ダンサー
dansā[dã̠ɰ̃sa̠ː]
The English word dancer is translated into Japanese as ダンサー (dansā) or 舞踊家.
Meaning: person who dances (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ダンサー | dansā | [dã̠ɰ̃sa̠ː] (narrow) |
| 舞踊家 | buyōka | [bɯ̟jo̞ːka̠] (narrow) |
Both terms refer to a person who dances. ダンサー is a versatile loanword that can describe any type of dancer, including those practicing hip-hop or ballet. In specific contexts, ダンサー can also refer to the name of Santa Claus's reindeer, Dancer.
Which one should you use?
ダンサー is a general-purpose term for any dancer, while 舞踊家 is specifically used for professional dancers or those performing classical and traditional arts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ダンサー is a neutral term and is the most common way to say dancer in everyday conversation. 舞踊家 is a more formal and professional term.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
dansā
Did you know?
- The suffix 家 in 舞踊家 originates from a meaning of 'house' or 'family line', reflecting how traditional arts were passed down through lineages.
- Traditional Japanese dance is often split into 舞 which is slow and circular and 踊 which is more rhythmic and jumping.
- When referring to a dancer in a ballet context, Japanese speakers may use the French-derived term バレリーナ for a female dancer instead of ダンサー.
Examples in context
- トムはダンサーなんだ。Tom is a dancer.This sentence is useful for stating someone's occupation using ダンサー.Tatoeba #11508668 by bunbuku, translation #2272786 by CK
- 葵さんは優れたダンサーです。Aoi is a good dancer.This sentence is useful for describing someone as a good dancer using ダンサー.Tatoeba #191506 by bunbuku, translation #453553 by saasmath
- 葵さんはダンサーになりました。Aoi became a dancer.This sentence is useful for describing the process of becoming a dancer using ダンサー.Tatoeba #191512 by small_snow, translation #28676 by CN
- ヒップホップダンサーHip-hop dancer
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are watching a show together.
- 陽太 Yotaあのダンサー、本当にすごいね。Ano dansā, hontō ni sugoi ne.That dancer is really amazing, isn't he?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、動きがとてもきれいだよ。Un, ugoki ga totemo kirei da yo.Yeah, the movements are very beautiful.
- 陽太 Yota僕もダンサーになりたいな。Boku mo dansā ni naritai na.I want to become a dancer too.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太ならきっと上手になれるよ。Yōta nara kitto jōzu ni nareru yo.If it's you, Yota, I'm sure you'll get good at it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dancer” translations and entries ダンサー, 舞踊家, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ダンサー, 舞踊家, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
