バン
ban[bã̠ɴ]
The English phrase 'van' is translated into Japanese as バン (ban). Wiktionary also lists 貨車 (kasha).
Meaning: a covered vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| バン | ban | [bã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| 貨車 | kasha | [ka̠ɕa̠] (narrow) |
When talking about automobiles, the loanword バン is the standard term used in daily conversation.
Which one should you use?
The katakana form バン is used for modern motor vehicles like delivery vans or camper vans.
How do you pronounce it?
ban
Did you know?
- Japanese car culture often distinguishes between a 'kei van' and a standard バン, with the former being strictly limited in size to fit narrow streets.
- Because バン is written in katakana, it is homophonous with the Japanese word for 'number' or 'turn', which is also pronounced 'ban'.
- While バン refers to the vehicle, the Japanese word for a bread roll, パン, is pronounced almost identically. This can occasionally lead to confusion in noisy environments if the context is not clear.
Examples in context
- 警察はバンの指紋を採取した。The police dusted the van for fingerprints.This sentence shows how the word バン is used in a context involving a police investigation.Tatoeba #11965943 by bunbuku, translation #5806278 by CK
- トムは自分のバンで一夜を明かした。Tom spent the night in his van.This sentence illustrates using バン to describe a vehicle used for spending the night.Tatoeba #8660392 by small_snow, translation #5525675 by CK
- 配達用のバンDelivery vanThis sentence demonstrates the phrase for a delivery van using バン.
- 町で移動するためにバンを借りました。I rented a van to move around the city.
- バンで大阪城に行こうよ！Let's go to Osaka Castle by van!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are looking at a large vehicle in a parking lot.
- 結衣 Yuiあのバンはとても大きいです。Ano ban wa totemo ookii desu.That van is very large.
- 陽太 Yota荷物がたくさん入りそうですね。Nimotsu ga takusan hairisou desu ne.It looks like a lot of luggage could fit in it.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さんのバンですか？Yota-san no ban desu ka?Is it your van, Yota?
- 陽太 Yotaいいえ、レンタカーですよ。Iie, rentakaa desu yo.No, it is a rental car.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “van” translations and entries バン, 貨車, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
