Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 平易な | heii na |
| 質素な | shisso na |
| 普段の | fudan no |
| 普通の | futsū no |
The term 'plain' is highly contextual in Japanese. You might use it to describe something that is ordinary or standard, something that is simple and lacks luxury or something that is easy to understand. Additionally, if you mean 'plain' in the sense of 'merely' or 'simply', you should use the adverb 単に. When referring to a geographical plain (an expanse of land with low relief), you would use the nouns 平地 or 平野.
Which one should you use?
The correct word depends on the specific type of plainness you are describing. Use 平易な specifically for language or concepts that are plain in the sense of being easy to understand. Use 質素な to describe a plain lifestyle, food or appearance that is modest and lacks luxury. Use 普通の when 'plain' means ordinary, common or standard, such as a plain old person or a plain old object.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
heii na
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the concept of being 'plain' or 'ordinary' (普通の) is often viewed as a social ideal for harmony, where standing out too much is discouraged by the proverb 'the nail that sticks up gets hammered down'.
- In a culinary context, if you want to ask for 'plain' rice without any seasoning, you would not use a word for 'plain' but would instead use 白米, which literally means 'white rice'.
- The word 質素な describes a 'plain' or modest lifestyle and is closely tied to the aesthetic of 'wabi-sabi', which finds beauty in imperfection and simplicity.
Examples in context
- 私は単なる普通のサラリーマンです。I'm just a plain old office worker.This sentence uses 普通の to describe an ordinary person.Tatoeba #489431 by qahwa, translation #477342 by CK
- そばはそば粉から、うどんやきしめんは普通の小麦粉からできてるの。Soba is made of buckwheat flour, and udon and kishimen are made of plain wheat flour.This sentence uses 普通の to describe standard wheat flour.Tatoeba #76613 by Fingerhut, translation #327107 by CM
- あのシャツは無地なので、とてもシンプルです。That shirt is plain, so it is very simple.
- この町は平凡な景色しかありません。This town has nothing but ordinary scenery.
- 彼女の制服は簡素で、派手さがありません。Her uniform is plain and lacks flashiness.
- このデザインはシンプルで、使いやすいです。This design is simple and easy to use.
- あのレストランの料理は普通ですが、美味しいですよ。That restaurant's food is ordinary, but it is delicious.
- この絵は特徴がなく、ちょっと物足りないですね。This painting lacks distinctive features and is a bit unsatisfying.
- 平易な表現を使って説明してください。Heii na hyougen o tsukatte setsumei shite kudasai.Please explain using plain expressions.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are discussing a textbook they are reading.
- 蓮 Renこの本の内容は少し難しいね。kono hon no naiyou wa sukoshi muzukashii ne.The content of this book is a bit difficult.
- 結衣 Yuiそうだね。もっと平易な表現がいいな。sou da ne. motto heiyina hyougen ga ii na.I agree. I wish the expressions were plainer.
- 蓮 Ren別の本を探してみようか。betsu no hon o sagashite miyou ka.Shall we try looking for another book?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、そうしよう。un, sou shiyou.Yeah, let's do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plain” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
