Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 研究者 | kenkyūsha | [kẽ̞ŋʲkʲɨːɕa̠] (narrow) |
| 研究員 | kenkyūin | [kẽ̞ŋʲkʲɨːĩɴ] (narrow) |
Both terms refer to one who researches, but they are used in different contexts depending on whether you are discussing a person's professional identity or their specific employment status.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 研究者 is composed of 研究 (kenkyū), meaning 'research' and 者 (sha), meaning 'person'. The word 研究員 is composed of 研究 (kenkyū), meaning 'research' and 員 (in), meaning 'member' or 'employee'.
Which one should you use?
研究者 (kenkyūsha) is used to describe someone's professional identity or status as a researcher, often in an academic or scholarly context. In contrast, 研究員 (kenkyūin) is typically used to refer to a specific job title or a member of a research staff, such as a research fellow or staff researcher.
How do you pronounce it?
kenkyūsha
Did you know?
- The kanji 研 (ken) in 研究 originally referred to the act of polishing or sharpening a stone or a blade.
- The suffix 員 in 研究員 is the same character used in 社員 for 'company employee' and 店員 for 'shop clerk'. It implies a contractual relationship with an organization rather than a personal scholarly pursuit.
- The term 研究者 can sometimes carry a more prestigious or lifelong connotation than 研究員, which may feel more like a temporary job assignment.
Examples in context
- トムは日本文学の研究者だ。Tom is a Japanese literature researcher.This sentence shows how to identify someone as a researcher of Japanese literature using 研究者.Tatoeba #2706912 by tommy_san, translation #7679218 by Yanahma
- ノースウエスタン大学の研究者、アイリーン・ペパーバーグは、オウムは人の口まねをするだけでなく言葉の意味を学ぶことができることを発見しつつある。Irene Pepperberg, a researcher at Northwestern University, is discovering that a parrot can not only mimic people but also learn the meaning of words.This sentence uses 研究者 to describe a researcher at a university.Tatoeba #198588 by ITA, translation #35781 by CM
- 彼は日本文学の研究者だ。He is a researcher of Japanese literature.This sentence uses 研究者 to state someone's profession in relation to Japanese literature.Tatoeba #101440 by tonygonz, translation #10229593 by kedymera
- 私は研究者です。I am a researcher.
- 彼は優れた学者だ。He is an excellent researcher.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking in a university hallway about their career goals.
- 結衣 Yui将来は、どんな研究者になりたいですか？Shōrai wa, donna kenkyūsha ni naritai desu ka?What kind of researcher do you want to be in the future?
- 蓮 Ren僕は、海洋生物の研究者になりたいんだ。Boku wa, kaiyō seibutsu no kenkyūsha ni naritai n da.I want to be a marine biology researcher.
- 結衣 Yui素敵な夢ですね。Suteki na yume desu ne.That is a wonderful dream.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さんはどうですか？Yui-san wa dō desu ka?How about you, Yui?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “researcher” translations and entries 研究者, 研究員, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 研究者, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
