Translation guide
The English word "case" has many meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: a container, a situation or instance, a legal matter, a grammatical concept, and more. Each meaning is explained with natural Japanese expressions.
A box, bag, or cover for holding or protecting something.
A general loanword for a case, box, or container. Used for glasses cases, phone cases, CD cases, etc.
眼鏡をケースに入れてください。
Please put your glasses in the case.
A box or case. More general than ケース, but can be used for larger or less specialized containers.
この箱は何が入っていますか？
What's in this box?
A container or receptacle. A general term for anything that holds things.
小物を入れる入れ物が欲しい。
I want a case for small items.
A particular situation or an example of something occurring.
The most common word for "case" meaning a situation or circumstance. Used in conditional phrases like "in case of..."
緊急の場合はこのボタンを押してください。
In case of emergency, press this button.
雨が降った場合、試合は中止です。
In case it rains, the game will be canceled.
Also used for "case" as an instance or example, especially in business or technical contexts.
A case study or example, often used in academic or professional settings.
A matter for a court of law, or a legal action.
A legal case, incident, or affair. Used for criminal and civil cases.
その事件は裁判中です。
The case is in court.
A lawsuit or litigation. More formal and specifically legal.
A trial or court case. Refers to the judicial process.
A grammatical category that marks the function of a noun or pronoun.
The linguistic term for grammatical case. Used in grammar explanations.
日本語には格助詞があります。
Japanese has case particles.
An instance of a disease or a person receiving medical treatment.
A crime or mystery to be solved.
Same as legal case, but also used for criminal investigations.
探偵はその事件を解決した。
The detective solved the case.
A matter or case under consideration, often used in police or business contexts.
場合 is the most natural and common way to say "in case of" or "in the case that." ケース is a loanword and sounds more technical or business-like. Use 場合 for everyday speech.
火事の場合は逃げてください。
In case of fire, please escape.
このケースでは例外です。
In this case, it's an exception.
While ケース is versatile, it cannot replace 場合 in many natural expressions. For example, "just in case" is 念のため, not ケースのために.
In this case, we use a different method.
Analyze successful cases.
He filed a case against the company.
その裁判は長引いている。
The case has been dragging on.
The case recovered.
未解決の案件が山積みだ。
Unsolved cases are piling up.