失読症
shitsudokushō[ɕit͡sɨdo̞kɯ̟̊ɕo̞ː]
The English term dyslexia is translated into Japanese as 失読症 (shitsudokushō). Wiktionary also lists ディスレクシア (disurekushia).
Meaning: learning disability (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 失読症 | shitsudokushō | [ɕit͡sɨdo̞kɯ̟̊ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
| ディスレクシア | disurekushia | [dʲisɨɾe̞kɯ̟̊ɕia̠] (narrow) |
The term refers to the learning disability known as dyslexia.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 失読症 is composed of 失 (loss/failure), 読 (reading) and 症 (syndrome/condition).
Which one should you use?
While 失読症 is a literal kanji-based term, the katakana version ディスレクシア is more commonly used in modern medical and educational contexts in Japan.
How do you pronounce it?
shitsudokushō
Did you know?
- Because Japanese uses many homophones, people with ディスレクシア often rely heavily on the visual context of kanji to differentiate words that sound identical.
- In Japan, the term 失読症 can be seen as overly clinical or stigmatizing, leading educators to prefer the loanword ディスレクシア to describe the condition as a neurodivergent trait rather than a disease.
- In Japanese pedagogy, discussions about dyslexia often focus heavily on the kanji-reading component, as kanji-based literacy is the primary metric for reading proficiency.
Examples in context
- 日本では、読字障害（どくじしょうがい）という言葉が一般的に使われています。In Japan, the term "dokujishougai" is commonly used.
- 彼は失読症の診断を受けた。Kare wa shitsudokushou no shindan o uketa.He received a diagnosis of dyslexia.
- 失読症は学習障害の一種です。Shitsudokushou wa gakushuu shougai no isshu desu.Dyslexia is a type of learning disability.
- 失読症を理解することは大切です。Shitsudokushou o rikai suru koto wa taisetsu desu.It is important to understand dyslexia.
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are discussing a medical article.
- 結衣 Yuiこの記事は失読症について書いてあります。kono kiji wa shitsudokushou ni tsuite kaite arimasu.This article is about dyslexia.
- 大翔 Hirotoそれはどんな症状があるのですか？sore wa donna shoujou ga aru no desu ka?What kind of symptoms does it have?
- 結衣 Yui文字を正しく認識するのが難しいそうです。moji o tadashiku ninshiki suru no ga muzukashii sou desu.I heard it is difficult to recognize characters correctly.
- 大翔 Hirotoなるほど、勉強するのが大変そうですね。naruhodo, benkyou suru no ga taihen sou desu ne.I see, it seems like studying would be hard.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dyslexia” translations and entries 失読症, ディスレクシア, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
