日光
nikkō[ɲ̟ik̚ko̞ː]
The English phrase sunlight is translated into Japanese as 日光 (nikkō). Wiktionary also lists 太陽光 (taiyōkō).
Meaning: electromagnetic radiation given off by the sun (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 日光 | nikkō | [ɲ̟ik̚ko̞ː] (narrow) |
| 太陽光 | taiyōkō | [ta̠ijo̞ːko̞ː] (narrow) |
The term 日光 is used to refer to the light from the sun in a general or sensory sense. You will often see it used in the compound 直射日光, which is the standard way to express 'direct sunlight' in contexts such as skincare, weather warnings or product storage instructions.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 日光 is composed of 日 (sun/day) and 光 (light).
Which one should you use?
While 日光 refers to the light from the sun in a general or sensory sense, 太陽光 is a more technical term that refers specifically to solar radiation or solar energy.
How do you pronounce it?
nikkō
Did you know?
- When describing sunlight filtering through trees, Japanese speakers use the specific aesthetic term 木漏れ日 (komorebi), which has no direct single-word equivalent in English.
- The word 日光 is also the name of a famous city in Tochigi Prefecture known for its shrines and autumn leaves. Depending on the context, a Japanese speaker might be talking about the weather or a travel destination.
- The word 太陽 (taiyō) in 太陽光 contains the character for 'great' or 'big' (太), which emphasizes the sun as a massive, central celestial body.
Examples in context
- 私、日光アレルギーなの。I'm allergic to sunlight.This sentence is useful for expressing an allergy to 日光.Tatoeba #9749253 by small_snow, translation #9749255 by DJ_Saidez
- 直射日光から目を守った方がいい。You should protect your eyes from direct sunlight.This sentence is useful for advising someone to protect their eyes from direct 日光.Tatoeba #125745 by KK_kaku_, translation #1981141 by CK
- 直射日光を避け、常温で保存してください。Avoid direct sunlight and store at room temperature.This sentence is useful for instructions regarding storing items away from direct 日光.Tatoeba #3314383 by tommy_san, translation #7910935 by User83551
- 日本の庭には美しい光が降り注いでいる。Beautiful sunlight pours down on the Japanese garden.
- どんな天気でも日光を浴びたい。I want to bask in sunlight no matter the weather.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Hiroto are deciding where to sit in a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariあそこの席は日光が入って明るいね。Asoko no seki wa nikkou ga haitte akarui ne.That seat over there is bright because of the sunlight.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ。あそこに座ろうか。Hontou da. Asoko ni suwarou ka.You're right. Shall we sit there?
- 陽葵 Himariでも、日光が強すぎて暑いかも。Demo, nikkou ga tsuyosugite atsui kamo.But the sunlight might be too strong and hot.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、少し離れた席にしよう。Jaa, sukoshi hanareta seki ni shiyou.In that case, let's take a seat a bit further away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sunlight” translations and entries 日光, 太陽光, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 太陽光, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
