Translation guide
Describing hair that is long in length. In Japanese, the most common and neutral way is 長い髪 (nagai kami). There are also specific terms for long hair as a hairstyle, such as ロングヘア (rongu hea) and 長髪 (chōhatsu), but these are used in different contexts.
To state that someone's hair is long in length, as a physical description.
The most direct and neutral way to say 'long hair'. It simply describes the length of the hair.
彼女は長い髪をしている。
She has long hair.
長い髪の女性が立っていた。
A woman with long hair was standing.
Referring to long hair as a specific hairstyle, often in fashion or salon contexts.
長い髪 is a descriptive phrase meaning 'hair that is long'. ロングヘア is a noun for the hairstyle 'long hair', commonly used in modern contexts. 長髪 is a more traditional or formal term, often implying long, uncut hair, and is less common in daily conversation.
彼女は長い髪が似合う。
Long hair suits her. (descriptive)
ロングヘアのカタログを見る。
Look at a catalog of long hairstyles.
時代劇の侍は長髪だ。
Samurai in period dramas have long hair.
A sentence pattern meaning 'hair is long'. Often used when the subject is already known.
彼は髪が長い。
He has long hair. (lit. His hair is long.)
A loanword from English, commonly used in fashion, beauty, and everyday conversation to refer to the hairstyle 'long hair'.
ロングヘアにしたいです。
I want to have long hair. (e.g., at a salon)
ロングヘアのアレンジを教えてください。
Please teach me some long hair arrangements.
A more formal or literary term for long hair. Often used in written contexts or to describe traditional long hair, sometimes with a nuance of uncut hair.
彼は長髪をなびかせて歩いていた。
He was walking with his long hair flowing.
Short for ロングヘア, used in casual conversation or salon jargon.
髪、ロングにしたんだね。
You grew your hair long, huh?