プロテイン
purotein[pɯ̟ɾo̞te̞ĩɴ]
The English phrase "protein" can be translated into Japanese as プロテイン (purotein). Wiktionary also lists 蛋白質 (tanpakushitsu).
Meaning: class of food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| プロテイン | purotein | [pɯ̟ɾo̞te̞ĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 蛋白質 | tanpakushitsu | [tã̠mpa̠kɯ̟̊ɕit͡sɨ] (narrow) |
Japanese uses different words for protein depending on whether you are discussing a biological substance or a dietary supplement.
Which one should you use?
The katakana form プロテイン is most commonly used to refer to protein supplements or protein powder used for bodybuilding. In contrast, the kanji form 蛋白質 is the technical or scientific term used in biology and nutrition to refer to the substance itself. Additionally, the form タンパク質 is the standard and most widely used formal scientific term for protein in Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
purotein
Did you know?
- The Japanese term 蛋白質 is a semantic loan from the German word 'Eiweiß', which also means 'egg white'.
- While 蛋白質 is the traditional kanji form, the version タンパク質 uses katakana for the first part to make the scientific term easier to read.
- While the katakana プロテイン sounds like the English word, using it to discuss biology would make you sound like a bodybuilder talking about supplements.
Examples in context
- 私は筋肉をつけるためにもっとタンパク質を摂らなければなりません。I need to consume more protein to build muscle.
- この食品のタンパク質含有量はいくらですか？What is the protein content in this food?
- おすすめの良いプロテインサプリメントはありますか？Could you recommend a good protein supplement?
- プロテインを飲みます。Purotein o nomimasu.I drink protein.
- これはプロテインが豊富です。Kore wa purotein ga houfu desu.This is rich in protein.
- プロテインの味は何が好きですか？Purotein no aji wa nani ga suki desu ka?What protein flavor do you like?
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are talking at the gym.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんはプロテインを飲んでいますか？Kenta-san wa protein o nonde imasu ka?Kenta, are you taking protein?
- 健太 Kentaはい、トレーニングの後に飲みます。Hai, torēningu no ato ni nomimasu.Yes, I drink it after training.
- 美咲 Misakiどのプロテインがいいと思いますか？Dono protein ga ii to omoimasu ka?Which protein do you think is good?
- 健太 Kentaチョコ味が一番おすすめですよ。Choko-aji ga ichiban osusume desu yo.I recommend the chocolate flavor the most.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “protein” translations and entries プロテイン, 蛋白質, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries プロテイン, 蛋白質, CC BY-SA 4.0.
