監督
kantoku[kã̠nto̞kɯ̟]
The Japanese word for director is 監督 (kantoku).
The term 監督 (Kantoku) is commonly used to refer to a director in the film industry or theater.
Meaning: someone who directs (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 監督 refers to a creative or managerial head (like a film director or coach), the katakana loanword ディレクター is often used for technical or production roles in media, such as a music video director or a television program director. If you are referring to a corporate director (a member of a board of directors), you should use 取締役 instead of 監督.
How do you pronounce it?
kantoku
Did you know?
- It is common to address a director as 監督 (kantoku) as a title of respect, similar to how one says 'Doctor' or 'Professor' in English.
- The word 監督 (kantoku) can also describe a site foreman or a supervisor in a construction project.
- The kanji for 監督 (kantoku) consist of the characters for 'to watch' and 'to manage'. This literally describes the act of overseeing a process or people.
Examples in context
- あの監督は批判に対して敏感だ。The director is sensitive to criticism.This sentence is useful for describing a director's reaction to criticism.Tatoeba #2763601 by bunbuku, translation #48870 by CK
- この監督なら面白くないのはしかたない。With this director, things are bound to be dull.This sentence is useful for expressing an opinion about a director's work.Tatoeba #11001479 by KK_kaku_, translation #12438441 by Lumi
- 彼は才能のある若い監督だ。He's a talented young director.This sentence is useful for describing a director's talent.Tatoeba #1484722 by marshmallowcat, translation #1386857 by Spamster
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about a movie they just watched.
- 陽葵 Himariこの映画、本当にすごかったね。Kono eiga, hontō ni sugokatta ne.This movie was really amazing, wasn't it?
- 健太 Kentaうん、監督のセンスが抜群だと思う。Un, kantoku no sensu ga batsugun da to omou.Yeah, I think the director's taste is outstanding.
- 陽葵 Himari誰が監督なの？Dare ga kantoku nano?Who is the director?
- 健太 Kenta有名な海外の監督だよ。Yūmei na kaigai no kantoku da yo.It's a famous director from overseas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 監督, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
