SF (esuefu)
Science fiction in Japanese is expressed as SF (esuefu) or 空想科学小説.
Meaning: fiction genre (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| SF (esuefu) | |
| 空想科学小説 | kūsō kagaku shōsetsu |
The term refers to the science fiction genre. While the long-form term specifically describes a type of fiction, the abbreviation SF is used broadly to encompass the entire genre across various media, including movies, anime and games.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 空想科学小説 is composed of 空想 (fantasy or imagination), 科学 (science) and 小説 (novel), literally translating to 'fantasy science novel'.
Which one should you use?
空想科学小説 is the full, descriptive term for the genre. However, the abbreviation SF is much more common in daily conversation and media.
Did you know?
- The phrase 空想科学 was heavily popularized in early 20th-century Japanese magazines to translate the concept of 'scientific romance' from English literature.
- The term 空想科学 ('fantasy science') is sometimes used to describe real-world gadgets or concepts that seem impossible, even if they are not part of a fictional story.
- In Japanese pop culture, the distinction between 'SF' and 'fantasy' is often blurred more than in English, as both may fall under the umbrella of 空想 (imagination).
Examples in context
- 空想科学小説が好きだ。I like science fiction novels.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for the form 空想科学小説.Tatoeba #3662511 by nonong, translation #7062055 by purichan
- SFが大好きです！I love science fiction!
- サイエンスフィクション映画を見たことありますか？Have you ever watched a science fiction movie?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “science fiction” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
