Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 会 | kai | [ka̠i] (narrow) |
| 社交場 | shakōba | |
| 懇談会 | kondankai | |
| 懇親会 | konshinkai | [kõ̞ɰ̃ɕĩŋka̠i] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the word you choose for "party" depends on the nature of the event. While the katakana loanword パーティー (pātī) is the most common way to refer to a Western-style social party, the kanji-based terms provide more specific nuances. For example, a formal gathering with food and drinks similar to a banquet is referred to as 宴会.
What does it mean word for word?
The character in 会 literally means a meeting, gathering or association.
Which one should you use?
The different forms serve distinct purposes: 会 is a general term for a gathering. 社交場 refers to a social venue or a social scene rather than a specific event. And 懇親会 is used specifically for mixers or social gatherings intended to build rapport or strengthen relationships, such as a company mixer.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 会 to mean a specific type of party, it is often attached to the end of another noun, such as 誕生日会 (tanjōbi-kai) for a birthday party.
How do you pronounce it?
kai
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specific concept called 'nijikai', which refers to the 'second party' that happens after the main 会 or 宴会 has officially ended.
- At a formal 宴会, it is traditional for the highest-ranking person to sit in the 'kamiza' or 'upper seat', furthest from the entrance of the room.
- While パーティー refers to a social party, the same English word 'party' translated as a political group is expressed as 政党 (seitō), which has no linguistic connection to the word for a gathering.
Examples in context
- トムは宴会部長だった。Tom was the life of the party.This sentence is useful for seeing how 会 can be used in the context of a person's role in a party.Tatoeba #8582248 by small_snow, translation #5375019 by CK
- 彼の誕生日会に行き損ねた。I failed to go to his birthday party.This sentence shows how to use 会 when talking about missing a specific event.Tatoeba #1319136 by bunbuku, translation #260718 by CM
- 彼女のお誕生日会に招待された？Were you invited to her birthday party?This sentence demonstrates how to use 会 when discussing an invitation to a party.Tatoeba #8692067 by small_snow, translation #1522313 by erikspen
- 来週のパーティーには出席する予定です。I plan to attend the party next week.
- 今週末にパーティ行くんだけど、一緒に行かない？I'm going to a party this weekend, want to come with me?
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Hiroto are talking about a welcome event at work.
- 陽葵 Himari今夜の歓迎会はどこでありますか？Konya no kangeikai wa doko de arimasu ka?Where is tonight's welcome party being held?
- 大翔 Hiroto駅前のイタリア料理店ですよ。Ekimae no itaria ryōriten desu yo.It's at the Italian restaurant in front of the station.
- 陽葵 Himari楽しみです。大翔さんも行きますよね？Tanoshimi desu. Hiroto-san mo ikimasu yo ne?I'm looking forward to it. You're going too, right, Hiroto?
- 大翔 Hirotoもちろんです。準備して行きます。Mochiron desu. Junbi shite ikimasu.Of course. I'll get ready and go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “party” translations and entries 会, 懇親会, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
