Translation guide
The English word "private" covers several distinct meanings. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese expression depending on whether they mean personal/not public, confidential, a military rank, or the concept of privacy.
Describing something that belongs to an individual, is not for public use, or is not related to work or official duties.
Used to indicate something belongs to or is for an individual, as opposed to a group or organization. Common in phrases like 'private property' or 'private opinion'.
これは個人の意見です。
This is a private opinion.
Please do not touch private belongings.
Specifically refers to private ownership of property or assets. More formal than 個人の.
ここは私有地です。
This is private land.
Used for things intended for personal use, like a private car or private phone call, as opposed to business use.
会社の電話を私用で使ってはいけません。
You must not use the company phone for private calls.
A loanword from English, often used in casual contexts to mean personal or not work-related. Common in phrases like 'private time'.
週末はプライベートな時間を大切にしています。
I value my private time on weekends.
Describing information, meetings, or matters that are meant to be kept secret or restricted to certain people.
Means confidential or secret. Often used in formal contexts like business or legal matters.
この情報は内密に扱ってください。
Please treat this information as private.
Literally 'not open to the public'. Used for events, data, or documents that are not disclosed.
その会議は非公開で行われた。
The meeting was held in private.
Means secret. Can be used for private matters, but often implies something more deliberately hidden.
彼は私に秘密の計画を打ち明けた。
He confided his private plan to me.
The lowest rank in the army or military.
The standard translation for 'private' as a military rank. Used in historical or modern contexts.
彼は二等兵として入隊した。
He enlisted as a private.
The state of being alone or not observed by others.
The loanword for 'privacy'. Widely used in modern Japanese to refer to the concept of personal privacy.
プライバシーを尊重してください。
Please respect my privacy.
A phrase meaning 'time to be alone', often used when 'private' implies solitude rather than confidentiality.
たまには一人になれる時間が必要だ。
I need some private time occasionally.
While プライベート is common, it's not a direct replacement for all uses of 'private'. For property or official matters, use 個人の or 私有の. Overusing プライベート can sound unnatural.
私有地 vs. プライベートな土地 (unnatural)
private land