Translation guide
The English word "psychic" can refer to a person with supernatural abilities, the abilities themselves, or phenomena related to the mind. This guide covers how to express these concepts naturally in Japanese.
Referring to someone who claims to have extrasensory perception, such as a fortune-teller or medium.
General term for a person with spiritual or psychic powers, often used for mediums or psychics.
彼女は有名な霊能者です。
She is a famous psychic.
Literally 'person with supernatural powers', often used in fiction for characters with psychic abilities like telekinesis.
その超能力者はスプーンを曲げた。
The psychic bent the spoon.
Loanword from 'ESPer', common in pop culture for someone with ESP.
彼はエスパーだと主張している。
He claims to be a psychic.
Fortune-teller; not exactly 'psychic' but often used in similar contexts. Implies divination rather than general psychic powers.
This specifically means fortune-teller, not a general psychic.
あの占い師に相談してみたら？
Why don't you consult that psychic?
Referring to supernatural mental powers like telepathy, clairvoyance, or precognition.
General term for psychic or supernatural powers.
彼は超能力で人の心が読める。
He can read minds with his psychic powers.
Spiritual sensitivity or sixth sense; often used for psychic intuition or sensing spirits.
Loanword directly from English, used in some contexts but less common than native terms.
Used in psychological or scientific contexts, as in 'psychic phenomenon' or 'psychic energy'.
Means 'psychological' or 'mental', used in academic or formal contexts.
それは心理的な現象だ。
It's a psychic phenomenon.
Means 'mental' or 'spiritual', can be used for psychic in the sense of mind-related.
Directly translating 'psychic' as サイキック is not common in natural Japanese. Use context-appropriate terms like 霊能者 for a person or 超能力 for abilities.
彼女は霊感が強い。
She has strong psychic sensitivity.
サイキック能力を持つ人々。
People with psychic abilities.
I feel a psychic energy.