Translation guide
The English word "bell" refers to a hollow metal object that makes a ringing sound when struck, or the sound itself. In Japanese, the translation depends on the type, size, and context of the bell.
A small bell that you ring by shaking or striking, often used for signaling.
General word for a small bell, such as a wind chime, cat bell, or bicycle bell. Often spherical with a pellet inside.
猫の首に鈴をつけた。
I put a bell on the cat's collar.
自転車の鈴を鳴らした。
I rang the bicycle bell.
Loanword from English, used for many modern small bells like doorbells, alarm bells, or school bells. Often electric.
授業の始まりのベルが鳴った。
The bell for the start of class rang.
A large, heavy bell that is struck with a hammer or clapper, often for religious or timekeeping purposes.
Refers to a large hanging bell, especially in temples or churches. Can also mean a gong.
お寺の鐘がゴーンと鳴った。
The temple bell rang out with a deep tone.
除夜の鐘をつく。
To ring the New Year's Eve bell.
Also used for large bells in Western contexts, like church bells or clock tower bells.
教会のベルが鳴り響いた。
The church bells rang out.
An electric device that produces a ringing or buzzing sound when activated.
Standard term for electric bells, including doorbells, alarm bells, and ringers.
玄関のベルを押してください。
Please press the doorbell.
火災ベルが鳴った。
The fire alarm bell rang.
Often used for a melodic doorbell or a school chime. Implies a more pleasant sound than a simple buzzer.
Something shaped like a bell, such as a flower or a skirt.
The ringing sound itself, often used in onomatopoeia.
The sound of a small bell. Can be used poetically.
遠くから鈴の音が聞こえた。
I heard the sound of a bell from afar.
The sound of a large bell, often with a deep resonance.
鐘の音が静かな村に響いた。
The sound of the bell echoed through the quiet village.
Onomatopoeia for the deep sound of a large bell.
鐘がゴーンと鳴った。
The bell went 'gong'.
Onomatopoeia for the high-pitched ringing of a small bell.
鈴 is a small, often spherical bell with a pellet inside, like a jingle bell. 鐘 is a large, hanging bell struck from the outside, like a temple bell. ベル is a loanword used for modern electric bells, doorbells, and sometimes Western-style large bells. Use 鈴 for small tinkling bells, 鐘 for deep resonant bells, and ベル for electric or Western-style bells.
A doorbell is ベル or チャイム, not 鈴. 鈴 would sound like a small jingling bell, not an electric buzzer.
The doorbell rang, so I went to the front door.
鈴がリンリンと鳴った。
The bell went 'ring-ring'.