アイコン
aikon[a̠ikõ̞ɴ]
The Japanese phrase for "profile picture" is アイコン (aikon).
The term refers to an image that represents a user on a social media account or website. While there are more literal ways to translate "profile picture," アイコン is the most common way to refer to a user's profile image on social media in Japan.
What does it mean word for word?
アイコン is a loanword from the English word "icon".
Which one should you use?
For a more descriptive or formal tone, you can use プロフィール画像 (profile image). プロフ画 is an informal abbreviation of the phrase. プロフィール写真 is a more formal way to say "profile picture".
How do you pronounce it?
aikon
Did you know?
- Japanese social media users frequently use 'matching' アイコン (matching icons) with friends or partners to publicly show their close relationship.
- In Japanese internet slang, the act of changing one's アイコン is often seen as a signal of a mood shift or a major life change.
- The abbreviation プロフ画 is an example of 'ryakugo', a common Japanese linguistic habit of shortening long loanwords into a compact form.
Examples in context
- プロフィールのアイコンが二次元の動物キャラクターだからといってケモナーであるとは限りません。Just because I have a cartoon animal as my profile picture, it doesn't mean that I'm a furry.This sentence uses the form アイコン to show that having a specific profile picture does not necessarily define a person's interests.Tatoeba #9923218 by KK_kaku_, translation #9337143 by DJ_Saidez
- 君のプロフィール写真、かわいいね！Your profile picture is adorable!
- 新しいアイコン、可愛いですね。Atarashii aikon, kawaii desu ne.Your new profile picture is cute.
- SNSのアイコンを写真に変えたい。SNS no aikon o shashin ni kaetai.I want to change my social media profile picture to a photo.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a social media app.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、アイコン変えた？Yui, aikon kaeta?Yui, did you change your profile picture?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、昨日変えたんだよ。Un, kinou kaeta n da yo.Yeah, I changed it yesterday.
- 大翔 Hirotoいい写真だね。どこで撮ったの？Ii shashin da ne. Doko de totta no?It's a great photo. Where did you take it?
- 結衣 Yui旅行に行った時に撮ったの。Ryokou ni itta toki ni totta no.I took it when I went on a trip.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry アイコン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
