文章
bunshō[bɯ̟̃ɰ̃ɕo̞ː]
In Japanese, 'sentence' can be translated as 文章 (bunshō), 文 or センテンス.
Meaning: grammatically complete series of words consisting of a subject and predicate (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 文章 | bunshō | [bɯ̟̃ɰ̃ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 文 | bun | [mõ̞ɴ] (narrow) [bɯ̟̃ɴ] (narrow) |
| センテンス | sentensu | [sẽ̞ntẽ̞ɰ̃sɨ] (narrow) |
The term refers to a grammatically complete series of words consisting of a subject and predicate.
Which one should you use?
文 is the most common way to refer to a single grammatical sentence and is the preferred term when discussing grammar or correcting a specific line of text. In contrast, 文章 refers more to a piece of writing, a passage or a continuous text rather than a single isolated grammatical unit. センテンス is a loanword used primarily in technical contexts, such as linguistics, computer programming or English language learning.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bunshō
Did you know?
- Japanese often omits the subject of a 文 entirely if the context is clear, meaning a grammatically complete 'sentence' may contain no noun acting as the subject.
- The character 文 originally meant something 'ornate' or a 'pattern' rather than a grammatical unit. It evolved from describing decorative patterns and literary elegance to representing the structure of written language.
- Because 文 is also the character for 'literature' or 'culture', a single 'sentence' is linguistically linked to the broader concept of human civilization and refinement.
Examples in context
- テスト文です。This is a test sentence.This sentence is useful for demonstrating a test sentence using the form 文.Tatoeba #2246516 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #2246496 by gone2bacolod
- この文は変だ。This is a strange sentence.This sentence is useful for describing a sentence that is strange using the form 文.Tatoeba #3464812 by arnab, translation #890441 by Scott
- 文を変えたよ。I changed the sentence.This sentence is useful for stating that a sentence was changed using the form 文.Tatoeba #9520393 by small_snow, translation #9520489 by DJ_Saidez
- 237 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a library, a student asks for help with a writing assignment.
- 陽太 Yotaこの文章の書き方は正しいですか？Kono bunshou no kakikata wa tadashii desu ka?Is the way this sentence is written correct?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、とても自然な文章ですよ。Hai, totemo shizen na bunshou desu yo.Yes, it is a very natural sentence.
- 陽太 Yota良かったです。安心しました。Yokatta desu. Anshin shimashita.That's good. I'm relieved.
- 陽葵 Himari続きも頑張ってくださいね。Tsuzuki mo ganbatte kudasai ne.Good luck with the rest of it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sentence” translations and entries 文章, 文, センテンス, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries センテンス, 文, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
