下線
kasen
The English word 'underline' is translated into Japanese as 下線 (kasen).
下線 refers to a line underneath text. In Japanese academic or testing contexts, it is the standard term used when instructions ask a student to mark specific parts of a text.
Meaning: line underneath text (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kasen
Did you know?
- In some older Japanese texts, a line used for emphasis instead of being underneath the text might be called a 傍線 (bousen), which refers to a line drawn alongside a word.
- The word 線 used in 下線 also means 'line' in the context of a railway or a train route, such as the 'Yamanote Line'.
- While 下線 is the standard noun for an 'underline', if you want to give a command like 'underline this', you must use the verb form 下線を引く, which literally means 'to pull an underline'.
Examples in context
- わからない単語には、すべて下線を引いてください。Please underline every word you don't know.Tatoeba #11345309 by bunbuku, translation #11145233 by CK
- この文書では、アンダーラインで重要な点を強調してください。Please underline the important points in this document.
- この文章の重要な部分を下線で示してください。Please indicate the important parts of this text by underlining them.
- この部分を線を引いて、目立たせてください。Please underline this part and make it stand out.
Example conversation
Himari is helping Yota with his homework.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太、ここには下線がある？Yota, koko ni wa kasen ga aru?Yota, is there an underline here?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、ここにあるよ。Un, koko ni aru yo.Yes, it's right here.
- 陽葵 Himariじゃあ、下線のところを読んでみて。Jaa, kasen no tokoro o yonde mite.Then, try reading the underlined part.
- 陽太 Yotaわかった。読んでみるね。Wakatta. Yonde miru ne.I got it. I'll try reading it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “underline” translations and entries 下線, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
