How to Say “Minus” in Japanese

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マイナス
mainasu[ma̠ina̠sɨ]
The Japanese word for the mathematical term 'minus' is マイナス (mainasu).
マイナス is the standard, everyday way to say 'minus' when reading numbers aloud or discussing temperatures. For example, it is used to indicate a negative value by acting as a prefix to a number.
Meaning: mathematics: less (prep)

Which one should you use?

While マイナス is used as a prefix to a number to indicate a negative value, the related term 負 is typically used as a noun or adjective to describe the concept of negativity or a negative number itself. Additionally, the verb 引く means 'to subtract'.

Related words

Negative (adj): 負.

Mathematics: negative quantity (noun): 負, マイナス.

How do you pronounce it?

mainasu

Did you know?

  • In Japanese, マイナス is used colloquially to describe a person's personality or a situation as 'negative' or 'downbeat', whereas in English 'minus' is almost exclusively mathematical.
  • The term 負 used for negative numbers shares its root with the word for 'defeat' or 'loss' in a game or war.
  • In Japan, if you are talking about a deficit in a business context, you might use 赤字 (akaji), which literally means 'red ink', rather than saying マイナス.

Examples in context

  • 昨夜、温度計はマイナス１０度を示した。
    The thermometer registered minus ten last night.
    This sentence is useful for seeing how to express a negative temperature.
    Tatoeba #169712 by bunbuku, translation #244774 by CM
  • マイナス2点になってしまった
    Got minus 2 points
    This sentence is useful for seeing how to express a negative score or point value.
    Wiktionary
  • 5引く2は3です。
    Five minus two equals three.
  • 温度（おんど）は-10℃です。
    The temperature is minus ten degrees Celsius.
  • ５マイナス３は２です。
    go mainasu san wa ni desu.
    Five minus three is two.

Example conversation

Two students are checking their math homework.

  1. 大翔 Hiroto

    結衣、この問題の答えは何？
    Yui, kono mondai no kotae wa nani?
    Yui, what is the answer to this problem?
  2. 結衣 Yui

    5マイナス8だから、答えはマイナス3だよ。
    go mainasu hachi dakara, kotae wa mainasu san da yo.
    It's 5 minus 8, so the answer is minus 3.
  3. 大翔 Hiroto

    あ、計算を間違えていた。
    a, keisan o machigaete ita.
    Oh, I made a calculation mistake.
  4. 結衣 Yui

    大翔、もう一度やり直してみて。
    Hiroto, mō ichido yarinaoshite mite.
    Hiroto, try doing it one more time.

Sources

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Vincent Antonio
Vincent AntonioHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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