イスラム教
isuramu-kyō[isɨɾa̠mɯ̟ kʲo̞ː]
Islam in Japanese is イスラム教. If unsure, use イスラム教 (isuramu-kyō). Wiktionary also lists 回教 (kaikyō).
Meaning: Abrahamic religion (name)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| イスラム教 | isuramu-kyō | [isɨɾa̠mɯ̟ kʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 回教 | kaikyō | [ka̠ikʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
The term refers to the Abrahamic religion. You may also encounter the term イスラーム in formal contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The word イスラム教 is formed by combining the loanword イスラム (isuramu) with the suffix 教 (kyō), which means religion or teaching, to specify that the term refers to the religion itself.
Which one should you use?
It is less common in everyday speech and may appear in older texts or formal academic contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a person who practices Islam, you add the suffix 徒 (to), meaning follower or practitioner, to イスラム教 to form イスラム教徒.
How do you pronounce it?
isuramu-kyō
Did you know?
- The older term for Islam, 回教 (kaikyō), is actually a phonetic borrowing from the Chinese word 'Huíjiào'.
- Japanese speakers often use the term ムスリム (musurimu) for a practitioner rather than イスラム教徒. This loanword from English is increasingly common in casual conversation.
- In Japanese media, the phrase イスラム圏 (isuramu-ken) is frequently used. This translates to 'the Islamic sphere' and refers to a geographic and cultural region rather than just the faith.
Examples in context
- イスラム教について、質問があるんだけど。I have a question about Islam.This sentence is useful for asking a question about イスラム教.Tatoeba #11563364 by small_snow, translation #8247220 by Amastan
- トムはキリスト教からイスラム教に改宗した。Tom converted from Christianity to Islam.This sentence is useful for describing a conversion to イスラム教.Tatoeba #2739605 by tommy_san, translation #8932623 by iiujik
- キリスト教とイスラム教は異なった２つの宗教だ。Christianity and Islam are two different religions.This sentence is useful for comparing Christianity and イスラム教.Tatoeba #225759 by huizi99, translation #63097 by CK
- イスラームの信仰は一神教で、アッラーを唯一とする。Islam is a monotheistic religion that believes in one Allah.
- 多くの人々はイスラームの教えを積極的に学んでいます。Many people are actively learning the teachings of Islam.
- 私の友達はムスリムです。My friend is a Muslim.
- ムスリムの文化や習慣について学びたい。I would like to learn about the culture and customs of Muslims.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a history class.
- 陽葵 Himari次の授業はイスラム教について勉強するよ。Tsugi no jugyō wa Isuramu-kyō ni tsuite benkyō suru yo.We are going to study about Islam in the next class.
- 大翔 Hirotoへえ、面白そうだね。Hē, omoshirosō da ne.Oh, that sounds interesting.
- 陽葵 Himariイスラム教の歴史はとても深いからね。Isuramu-kyō no rekishi wa totemo fukai kara ne.The history of Islam is very deep, after all.
- 大翔 Hiroto詳しく知りたいな。Kuwashiku shiritai na.I want to learn more about it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “islam” translations and entries イスラム教, 回教, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries イスラム教, 回教, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
