Translation guide
The concept of 'identity' in English covers personal identity (who you are), social identity (group belonging), and abstract identity (sameness). Japanese uses different words depending on the nuance.
Expressing one's sense of self, individuality, or personal character.
Loanword from English, widely used in psychology, sociology, and everyday conversation to mean personal identity or sense of self.
自分のアイデンティティを見つけたい。
I want to find my identity.
Formal psychological term for self-identity or ego identity. Used in academic contexts.
青年期は自己同一性を確立する重要な時期だ。
Adolescence is an important period for establishing self-identity.
Natural expression meaning 'one's true self' or 'being oneself'. Used when talking about personal identity in a more casual, everyday sense.
自分らしさを大切にしたい。
I want to value my identity (being true to myself).
Means 'individuality' or 'personality'. Often used when identity is about unique personal traits.
彼は強い個性を持っている。
He has a strong identity (individuality).
Expressing identity in terms of ethnicity, nationality, gender, or group membership.
Also used for social identity, e.g., cultural identity, gender identity.
文化的アイデンティティは大切だ。
Cultural identity is important.
Sense of belonging. Used when identity is about feeling part of a group.
Ethnic identity. Used in discussions of ethnicity.
Expressing that two things are the same or identical.
Means 'sameness' or 'identity' in the logical sense. Used in formal or technical contexts.
この二つの書類の同一性を確認してください。
Please verify the identity of these two documents.
Adjectival noun meaning 'identical'. More common in everyday language than 同一性.
Referring to the act of recognizing or mistaking someone's identity.
Mistaken identity. Common phrase when you mistake one person for another.
すみません、人違いでした。
Sorry, it was a case of mistaken identity.
アイデンティティ is a direct loanword and sounds more abstract or academic. 自分らしさ is a native Japanese expression that feels warmer and more personal. Use 自分らしさ when talking about being true to yourself in daily life.
自分らしさを失いたくない。
I don't want to lose my identity (sense of self).
English 'identity' is often used in phrases like 'identity crisis' or 'brand identity'. In Japanese, these are usually expressed with アイデンティティ (e.g., アイデンティティの危機) or specific terms like ブランドイメージ (brand image). Avoid using 同一性 for personal identity; it sounds unnatural.
彼は自分のアイデンティティに悩んでいる。
He is struggling with his identity.
被害者の身元はまだ公表されていない。
The identity of the victim has not been released.
彼は会社への帰属意識が強い。
He has a strong sense of identity with the company.
Preserving ethnic identity is difficult.
それらは同一のものだ。
They are identical.
Identity verification, often used in official contexts like police or security.
警察が身元確認を行った。
The police conducted an identity check.