Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ゼロックス | zerokkusu | [d͡ze̞ɾo̞k̚kɯ̟sɨ] (narrow) |
| フォトコピー | fotokopī | |
| 複写 | fukusha | [ɸɯ̟kɯ̟ɕa̠] (narrow) |
The terms for photocopy in Japanese range from everyday loanwords to formal technical terms. While ゼロックス is a common way to refer to a photocopy, the loanword コピー (kopī) is the most frequent term used in daily life. To describe the machine itself, you can use コピー機 (kopī-ki).
Which one should you use?
In casual conversation, people often use ゼロックス. However, 複写 (fukusha) is a more formal and technical term specifically used in official or legal contexts to mean a duplicate or copy. The term コピー (kopī) is the most common way to refer to a photocopy in standard daily life.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In daily life, the most natural way to express the action of making a photocopy is to use the verb phrase コピーをとる (kopī o toru), which means 'to take a photocopy'.
How do you pronounce it?
zerokkusu
Did you know?
- The verb used in コピーをとる is the same one used for 'taking' a photograph, reflecting a cultural view of photocopying as capturing an image rather than printing a document.
- The kanji 複 in 複写 is also used in the word 複雑 (fukuzatsu), meaning 'complex', because both concepts involve the idea of multiple or layered parts.
- While コピー (kopī) is the standard, using the technical term 複写 (fukusha) in a casual office setting might make you sound like a legal clerk or a highly formal official.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are organizing documents in an office.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さん、このゼロックスはどこに置きますか？Kenta-san, kono zerokkusu wa doko ni okimasu ka?Kenta, where should I put this photocopy?
- 健太 Kentaそのゼロックスを机の上に置いてください。sono zerokkusu o tsukue no ue ni oite kudasai.Please put that photocopy on the desk.
- 陽葵 Himari分かりました。ここに置きますね。Wakarimashita. koko ni okimasu ne.I understand. I'll put it here.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう、陽葵さん。arigato, Himari-san.Thank you, Himari.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “photocopy” translations and entries ゼロックス, 複写, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
