安全
anzen[ã̠nd͡zẽ̞ɴ]
The English word 'safety' is translated into Japanese as 安全 (anzen). If unsure, use 安全. Wiktionary also lists 安全性 (anzensei).
Meaning: condition or feeling of being safe (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 安全 | anzen | [ã̠nd͡zẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 安全性 | anzensei | [ã̠nd͡zẽ̞ɰ̃se̞ː] (narrow) |
安全 is a noun meaning the condition or feeling of being safe. It can also function as a Na-adjective in the form 安全な to mean 'safe'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 安全 is composed of the characters 安 (peace/tranquility) and 全 (whole/complete), which literally means 'complete tranquility'.
Which one should you use?
While 安全 refers to the general state of being safe, 安全性 refers to the quality or degree of safety, such as a safety level or safety factor. Consequently, 安全性 is used more frequently in technical or analytical contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
anzen
Did you know?
- The character 安 used in 安全 depicts a 'woman' under a 'roof', an ancient way of visualizing the concept of peace and domestic security.
- Train drivers perform a ritual called 安全確認 ('safety confirmation') where they physically point and call out signals to prevent errors.
- Japanese makes a sharp distinction between 安全 for physical safety and 安心 for the emotional feeling of being safe or relieved.
Examples in context
- 安全が第一だよ。Safety is the most important thing.Tatoeba #10914440 by bunbuku, translation #795023 by CK
- 安全なんて幻想だ。Safety is an illusion.Tatoeba #5748765 by daifons, translation #5748223 by CM
- 安全が第一だからな。Safety always comes first.Tatoeba #10146339 by bunbuku, translation #3626567 by Lindoula
- 大丈夫、明日の旅行は安心して楽しめるよ。Don't worry, you can enjoy tomorrow's trip without any worries.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are walking through a park at night.
- 蓮 Renこの公園はとても安全だね。Kono kouen wa totemo anzen da ne.This park is very safe, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、明るくて安心します。Hai, akarukute anshin shimasu.Yes, it's bright and makes me feel secure.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんは、夜道も大丈夫？Himari-san wa, yomichi mo daijoubu?Himari, are you okay walking at night?
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんと一緒なら安全ですよ。Ren-san to issho nara anzen desu yo.I am safe if I am with you, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “safety” translations and entries 安全, 安全性, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
