綴り字
tsudzuriji[t͡sɨzɨɾʲiʑi]
Spelling in Japanese can be expressed as 綴り字 (tsudzuriji), 綴り, スペリング or スペル.
Meaning: the practice, ability, or subject of forming words with letters, or of reading the letters of words, orthography (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 綴り字 | tsudzuriji | [t͡sɨzɨɾʲiʑi] (narrow) |
| 綴り | tsudzuri | [t͡sɨzɨɾʲi] (narrow) |
| スペリング | superingu | [sɨ̥pe̞ɾʲĩŋɡɯ̟] (narrow) |
| スペル | superu | [sɨ̥pe̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
The terms used depend on whether you are referring to the formal system of writing or a specific sequence of letters. In modern daily conversation, especially when discussing mistakes or specific letter sequences, the loanword スペル is more commonly used. The term スペルミス is the most natural way to refer to a 'spelling error' in a modern context.
Which one should you use?
綴り字 (tsudzuriji) refers specifically to the orthography or the system of letters used in writing. 綴り (tsudzuri) is a native Japanese word used for spelling. In contrast, スペル (superu) and スペリング (superingu) are loanwords from English. スペル is more commonly used in daily conversation regarding mistakes or specific letter sequences.
How do you pronounce it?
tsudzuriji
Did you know?
- The native Japanese word 綴り comes from the verb 綴る, which originally meant to bind pages together with string or to sew fabrics. This implies that 'spelling' is the act of stitching letters into a sequence.
- When asking someone to spell something out, Japanese speakers often use the phrase 'how is it written' rather than asking for the 'spelling' directly.
- Because Japanese uses many different writing systems, the word 綴り字 is almost exclusively used when discussing the sequence of characters in foreign languages or phonetic scripts like Romaji.
Examples in context
- スペルミスをよくするんだ。I make a lot of spelling mistakes.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of スペル when discussing spelling mistakes.Tatoeba #9373239 by small_snow, translation #9373071 by CK
- 綴りを少し間違えただけです。You have made only a few spelling mistakes.This sentence shows how to use 綴り when referring to a small mistake in spelling.Tatoeba #125564 by small_snow, translation #278428 by CC
- 表彰式？表彰台？のポディウムの綴りを教えてください。Awards ceremony podium? Victory stand podium? Please tell me the correct spelling.This sentence demonstrates how to use 綴り when asking for the correct spelling of a specific word.Tatoeba #75739 by kamojun, translation #9986725 by tsp_2
- 彼女の名前の綴りを教えてください。Please tell me the spelling of her name.
- 英単語を綴ってください。Please spell the English word.
- この単語のつづり方は覚えられる？Can you remember the way this word is spelled?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui is helping Ren with his English homework.
- 結衣 Yuiこの単語の綴り字が分からないの？Kono tango no tsuzuriji ga wakaranai no?You don't know the spelling of this word?
- 蓮 Renうん、最後の一文字が自信ないんだ。Un, saigo no hitomoji ga jishin nai nda.Yeah, I'm not sure about the last letter.
- 結衣 Yuiいいよ、正しい綴り字を教えてあげるね。Ii yo, tadashii tsuzuriji o oshiete ageru ne.Okay, I'll tell you the correct spelling.
- 蓮 Renありがとう、結衣。Arigato, Yui.Thanks, Yui.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spelling” translations and entries 綴り字, 綴り, スペリング, スペル, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
