Translation guide
The English verb 'identify' has several core uses: recognizing someone or something, establishing identity, associating with a group, and considering something as equivalent. This guide organizes Japanese expressions by these meanings, from most common to more specific.
To recognize someone or something and be able to say who or what they are, often from observation or evidence.
The most direct and common translation for 'identify' in the sense of determining or specifying something precisely, often used in formal, technical, or investigative contexts.
警察は容疑者を特定した。
The police identified the suspect.
原因を特定するのは難しい。
It's difficult to identify the cause.
Focuses on distinguishing or discriminating one thing from others, often used in technical or scientific contexts.
この装置は色を識別できる。
This device can identify colors.
To tell apart or distinguish by looking; implies visual recognition or differentiation.
双子を見分けるのは難しい。
It's hard to identify the twins.
Casual way to say 'recognize who someone is', often used in everyday conversation.
あの人、誰だか分かる？
Can you identify that person?
To prove or confirm who someone is, often through documents, testimony, or recognition.
Standard phrase for verifying someone's identity, used in official or security contexts.
身元を確認するためにパスポートを見せてください。
Please show your passport to identify yourself.
Noun meaning 'identity verification', often used in banking or online services.
本人確認のため、免許証を提示してください。
For identification purposes, please present your driver's license.
Casual way to say 'check who someone is', less formal than 身元確認.
先に誰か確認しよう。
Let's identify who it is first.
To feel a connection or sense of belonging to a group, culture, or belief.
Literally 'identify oneself with ~', used for psychological or social identification. The particle と marks the group or idea.
彼は自分をアーティストと同一視している。
He identifies as an artist.
Means 'to empathize with' or 'feel a connection to', often used when identifying with someone's feelings or experiences.
彼の苦労に共感する。
I identify with his struggles.
A more literal way to say 'consider oneself a member of', used for group identification.
自分をチームの一員だと思う。
I identify as a member of the team.
To treat two things as identical or closely linked, often in abstract reasoning.
Used to equate two things, often in philosophical or critical contexts. The first 〜 is the object, the second 〜 is what it's equated with.
富を幸福と同一視してはいけない。
You shouldn't identify wealth with happiness.
Means 'to regard A as B', often used in rules or judgments. Less strong than 同一視する.
遅刻を欠席と見なす。
We identify lateness with absence.
When saying 'I identify as...' in Japanese, directly translating 'identify' can sound unnatural. Use phrases like 〜だと思う or 〜として生きている for gender/identity, or 〜に共感する for shared feelings.
自分は女性だと思う。
I identify as a woman.
特定する is broader and more common for 'identify' in the sense of pinpointing something. 識別する emphasizes distinguishing between similar things and is more technical.