Translation guide
The field or practice of recording, summarizing, and reporting financial transactions. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 会計 (kaikei), but the appropriate term depends on context: academic study, professional practice, or specific types of accounting.
Referring to accounting as a discipline, profession, or the department in a company.
The most common and versatile term for accounting. Can refer to the field, the act of accounting, or an accounting department.
彼は会計の仕事をしています。
He works in accounting.
会計部に問い合わせてください。
Please contact the accounting department.
Often used for the administrative or bookkeeping side of accounting within a company. More focused on internal financial management.
経理の経験がありますか？
Do you have experience in accounting?
Specifically refers to accounting as an academic discipline or the study of accounting.
大学で会計学を専攻しました。
I majored in accounting at university.
The process of keeping financial records, preparing statements, or doing the books.
Bookkeeping, the act of recording transactions in ledgers. Common for small business or personal accounting.
毎日帳簿付けをするのは大変です。
Doing the bookkeeping every day is tough.
Accounting procedures or processing of financial transactions, often used in a business context.
経理処理を効率化したい。
We want to streamline accounting procedures.
When 'accounting' means giving an explanation or being held accountable, not financial.
General word for explanation. Use when 'accounting' means providing reasons or clarifying something.
彼は遅刻の説明を求められた。
He was asked to give an accounting for his lateness.
To take responsibility. Used when 'accounting' implies being answerable for one's actions.
経営陣は失敗の責任を取らなければならない。
Management must give an accounting for the failure.
会計 (kaikei) is broader and can refer to the entire field of accounting, including financial reporting and auditing. 経理 (keiri) is more about internal bookkeeping and administrative accounting within a company. In many business settings, 経理部 is the accounting department that handles day-to-day transactions, while 会計 may refer to the overall financial management or the profession.
会計事務所で働いています。
I work at an accounting firm.
経理部に配属されました。
I was assigned to the accounting department.
The English word 'accounting' can mean giving an explanation or being held responsible. In Japanese, 会計 only refers to financial accounting. For non-financial contexts, use 説明 (setsumei) or phrases like 責任を取る (sekinin o toru).
彼女は大学で会計学を勉強しました。
She studied accounting in college.
当社の経理部は3階にあります。
Our accounting department is on the third floor.
彼は経費の詳細な説明を行った。
He gave a detailed accounting of the expenses.