Translation guide
The English word 'organic' has several distinct meanings. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese expression depending on whether they mean 'related to living organisms', 'produced without chemicals', 'natural development', or 'inherent part of a whole'.
Describing food or farming methods that avoid synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, etc.
Standard term for 'organic' in the context of farming and food. Often used in compounds like 有機野菜 (organic vegetables) or 有機栽培 (organic farming).
このスーパーでは有機野菜をたくさん売っています。
This supermarket sells a lot of organic vegetables.
有機栽培のコーヒーを買いました。
I bought organically grown coffee.
Loanword from English, very common in marketing and casual contexts. Often seen on product labels.
最近オーガニック食品の人気が高まっています。
Organic food has been gaining popularity recently.
Scientific or general reference to matter from living things, as opposed to inorganic.
Used in scientific contexts, e.g., 有機化合物 (organic compound), 有機物 (organic matter).
土の中には有機物がたくさん含まれています。
The soil contains a lot of organic matter.
有機化学は炭素化合物を研究する学問です。
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds.
Describing growth, change, or systems that evolve in a natural, unforced way.
Often used for abstract concepts like organizations, relationships, or processes that develop naturally. Implies interconnectedness and gradual evolution.
会社の成長は有機的であるべきだ。
A company's growth should be organic.
彼らの関係は有機的に発展した。
Their relationship developed organically.
Means 'naturally' and can often replace 'organically' in casual speech when describing unforced development.
アイデアは自然に出てきた。
The idea came about organically.
Describing something that is an essential, integrated component of a system or structure.
Used to describe parts that are inseparably connected to the whole, like an organic part of a system.
この部署は会社の有機的な一部です。
This department is an organic part of the company.
Means 'indispensable' or 'essential'. Can convey the idea of being an integral part, though less directly than 有機的.
彼はチームに不可欠な存在だ。
He is an organic part of the team.
Referring to the branch of chemistry dealing with carbon compounds.
The standard term for organic chemistry.
彼は大学で有機化学を専攻している。
He is majoring in organic chemistry at university.
Both mean 'organic', but 有機 is the standard Japanese word used in scientific, technical, and official contexts. オーガニック is a loanword often used in marketing and casual conversation, especially for food and lifestyle products. In formal writing, 有機 is preferred.
有機JASマークは日本の有機認証です。
The Organic JAS mark is Japan's organic certification.
オーガニックコスメが好きです。
I like organic cosmetics.
有機 alone usually refers to chemistry or farming. To express the idea of organic growth or organic part of a whole, you need the adjectival form 有機的 (organic-like, systematic).
有機的な組織構造
organic organizational structure