ノート
nōto[no̞ːto̞]
The Japanese word for notebook is ノート (nōto). Wiktionary also lists 帳面 (chōmen) and 手帳 (techō).
Meaning: empty book able to be used for notes (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ノート | nōto | [no̞ːto̞] (narrow) |
| 帳面 | chōmen | |
| 手帳 | techō | [te̞t͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
All three forms refer to a book used for writing notes, but they are used in very different contexts.
Which one should you use?
ノート is the most common word for a standard school or office notebook. 手帳 refers specifically to a small, portable notebook or organizer used for personal schedules and memos. 帳面 is typically used in a business or accounting context to refer to a ledger or official record book.
How do you pronounce it?
nōto
Did you know?
- Certain types of 手帳 are officially recognized by the government, such as the 'Maternal and Child Health Handbook', which is essential for healthcare in Japan.
- The term 手帳 has been used in Japan since the early 1600s, long before the modern English 'notebook' became a common loanword.
- The word ノート is a loanword from English, but in Japanese it specifically refers to the physical object, whereas the English 'note' often refers to the text written inside.
Examples in context
- ノートは収めて。Put your notebook away.This sentence is useful for practicing how to tell someone to put a ノート away.Tatoeba #12593264 by small_snow, translation #11327464 by ddnktr
- トムはノートを閉じた。Tom shut his notebook.This sentence is useful for describing the action of closing a ノート.Tatoeba #8679153 by bunbuku, translation #2646309 by CK
- ノートパソコンがない。I don't have a notebook pc.This sentence shows how ノート is used as a prefix in the term for a notebook computer.Tatoeba #10901651 by small_snow, translation #13693644 by terrywallwork
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are in a classroom.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、ノートを貸してくれる？Ren-kun, nōto o kashite kureru?Ren, can you lend me your notebook?
- 蓮 Renいいよ。はい、どうぞ。Ii yo. Hai, dōzo.Sure. Here you go.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう。ノートがもうないの。Arigatō. Nōto ga mō nai no.Thanks. I've run out of notebook paper.
- 蓮 Ren次は忘れないようにね。Tsugi wa wasurenai yō ni ne.Try not to forget it next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “notebook” translations and entries ノート, 帳面, 手帳, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ノート, 手帳, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
