ロボット
robotto[ɾo̞bo̞t̚to̞]
In Japanese, the word for robot is ロボット (robotto). If unsure, use ロボット. Wiktionary also lists 人造人間 (jinzō ningen).
Meaning: intelligent mechanical being (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ロボット | robotto | [ɾo̞bo̞t̚to̞] (narrow) |
| 人造人間 | jinzō ningen | [d͡ʑĩnd͡zo̞ː ɲ̟ĩŋɡẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
The term is used to refer to an intelligent mechanical being.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 人造人間 literally means 'artificial human'.
Which one should you use?
While ロボット is the standard loanword for a mechanical robot, 人造人間 is often used in science fiction to refer to an android or a man-made human-like being.
How do you pronounce it?
robotto
Did you know?
- The word ロボット is written in katakana, the script used for foreign loanwords, reflecting its origin from a Czech word via English.
- The word 人間 (ningen) in 人造人間 literally means 'human', but it is composed of characters meaning 'person' and 'interval' or 'gap'.
- In Japanese pop culture, the word ロボット is frequently used as a shorthand for 'Giant Robot' or 'Mecha' in anime, even when referring to a piloted suit rather than an autonomous machine.
Examples in context
- ロボットだよ。It's a robot.This sentence is useful for stating what something is.Tatoeba #10724013 by small_snow, translation #10724010 by shekitten
- 彼はロボットを作った。He made a robot.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving a ロボット.Tatoeba #110311 by bunbuku, translation #293377 by CK
- あなたって、ロボットなの？Are you a robot?This sentence is useful for asking a question about someone being a ロボット.Tatoeba #10172589 by small_snow, translation #10070722 by espamatics
- 彼は先進的なロボットを開発しています。He is developing advanced robots.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young man and woman are looking at a museum display.
- 大翔 Hirotoこのロボットはとても大きいです。Kono robotto wa totemo ookii desu.This robot is very big.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に、すごいロボットですね。Hontou ni, sugoi robotto desu ne.It really is an amazing robot, isn't it?
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さんは、ロボットが好きですか？Misaki-san wa, robotto ga suki desu ka?Misaki, do you like robots?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、大好きです！Hai, daisuki desu!Yes, I love them!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “robot” translations and entries ロボット, 人造人間, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ロボット, 人造人間, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
