長方形
chōhōkei[t͡ɕo̞ːho̞ːke̞ː]
The English word 'rectangle' is translated into Japanese as 長方形 (chōhōkei). Wiktionary also lists 矩形 (kukei).
Meaning: quadrilateral (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 長方形 | chōhōkei | [t͡ɕo̞ːho̞ːke̞ː] (narrow) |
| 矩形 | kukei | [kɯ̟ke̞ː] (narrow) |
What does it mean word for word?
The word 長方形 is composed of 長 (long), 方 (direction/side) and 形 (shape), which literally means 'long-sided shape'.
Which one should you use?
長方形 (chōhōkei) is the standard term used in general contexts and school geometry. In contrast, 矩形 (kukei) is a more technical mathematical term used in fields like engineering or computer science.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use 長方形 as an adjective to modify a noun, add the particle の after it, forming 長方形の (rectangular).
How do you pronounce it?
chōhōkei
Did you know?
- The technical term 矩形 (kukei) derives from a character 矩 that originally referred to a carpenter's square. This shows how ancient woodworking tools shaped Japanese mathematical language.
- In daily conversation, Japanese speakers rarely use 長方形 to describe a rectangular object. They instead use 四角い (shikakui), which generically means 'four-sided' and covers both squares and rectangles.
- The Japanese word for square, 正方形, literally translates to 'correct-sided shape'. This implies that a square is viewed as the 'perfect' or 'regular' version of a 長方形.
Examples in context
- 長方形の対辺は平行である。The opposite sides of a rectangle are parallel.This sentence is useful for describing the properties of the form using 長方形.Tatoeba #168969 by bunbuku, translation #245518 by CM
- 正方形は長方形のうちの一つですし、長方形は平行四辺形の一つです。A square is one type of rectangle, and a rectangle is one type of parallelogram.This sentence is useful for explaining the relationship between different geometric shapes using 長方形.Tatoeba #498577 by xtofu80, translation #499403 by blay_paul
- 矩形の面積を計算してください。(くけいのめんせきをけいさんしてください。)Please calculate the area of the rectangle.
- その絵は長方形の額縁に収まっている。(そのえはちょうほうけいのがくぶちにおさまっている。)That painting fits within a rectangular frame.
- この長方形の模様は綺麗ですね。Kono chouhoukei no moyou wa kirei desu ne.This rectangular pattern is beautiful, isn't it.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are looking at a piece of art in a gallery.
- 美咲 Misakiこの絵は長方形ですね。Kono e wa chouhoukei desu ne.This painting is a rectangle, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaそうですね、横に長い形です。Sou desu ne, yoko ni nagai katachi desu.That's right, it has a long horizontal shape.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、この色が好きですか？Kenta-san wa, kono iro ga suki desu ka?Kenta, do you like these colors?
- 健太 Kentaはい、とても綺麗だと思います。Hai, totemo kirei da to omoimasu.Yes, I think they are very beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rectangle” translations and entries 長方形, 矩形, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
