対話
taiwa[ta̠iβ̞a̠]
The English word "dialogue" can be translated into Japanese as 対話 (taiwa) or 対談 (taidan).
Meaning: conversation or other discourse between individuals (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 対話 | taiwa | [ta̠iβ̞a̠] (narrow) |
| 対談 | taidan | [ta̠idã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
対話 (taiwa) is used to describe a dialogue or an exchange of ideas, particularly when discussing abstract concepts such as "social dialogue" or "political dialogue" intended to reach mutual understanding.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 対話 is composed of the character 対 (tai), meaning "opposite" or "facing" and 話 (wa), meaning "talk" or "speech".
Which one should you use?
While 対話 (taiwa) refers to a general dialogue or an exchange of ideas, 対談 (taidan) specifically refers to a formal discussion or interview between two or more people, which is often intended for publication or a public record.
How do you pronounce it?
taiwa
Did you know?
- In computer science and technical Japanese, the concept of 'dialogue' (like a pop-up box) is often translated as ダイアログ (daiarogu) using katakana, rather than using the kanji forms of 対話.
- The word 対話 (taiwa) can be used metaphorically in Japanese to describe the 'interaction' between two different elements, such as nature and humans, even without people being present.
- Japanese uses the prefix 対 (tai) for other 'opposites' as well, such as in 対立 (tairitsu) meaning 'confrontation' or 'opposition', which is the conceptual opposite of a peaceful 対話 (taiwa).
Examples in context
- 国連は紛争の当事国に対し、対話による平和的解決を求めた。The United Nations called on the parties to the conflict to seek a peaceful resolution through dialogue.This sentence shows the use of 対話 in a formal context regarding a peaceful resolution.Tatoeba #14006396 by small_snow, translation #14006439 by JimBreen
- お元気？なんか最近どう？Ogenki? Nanka saikin dou?
- うん、元気だよ。最近友達と旅行行った。Un, genki da yo. Saikin tomodachi to ryokou itta.
- 対話がとても重要です。Taiwa ga totemo juuyou desu.Dialogue is very important.
- 建設的な対話を続けましょう。Kensetsuteki na taiwa o tsuzukemashou.Let's continue a constructive dialogue.
Example conversation
Two university students are discussing a seminar topic in a cafe.
- 大翔 Hirotoこのセミナーのテーマは対話についてだね。Kono seminaa no teema wa taiwa ni tsuite da ne.The theme of this seminar is about dialogue, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、もっと深い対話が必要だと思います。Hai, motto fukai taiwa ga hitsuyou da to omoimasu.Yes, I think deeper dialogue is necessary.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵さんの意見はいつも鋭いね。Himari-san no iken wa itsumo surudoi ne.Himari, your opinions are always sharp.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くんにそう言ってもらえると嬉しいです。Hiroto-kun ni sou iite moraeru to ureshii desu.I'm happy to hear that from you, Hiroto.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dialogue” translations and entries 対話, 対談, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
