Translation guide
A person who looks for or tries to obtain something, often with a sense of purpose or quest. In Japanese, the translation depends on what is being sought and the context.
Someone who is searching for a physical object, information, or a person.
Literally 'person who is looking for someone'. Used when the object is a missing person or someone you want to find.
彼は行方不明の友達の探し人だ。
He is a seeker of his missing friend.
A seeker in a more abstract or intellectual sense, such as a seeker of truth or knowledge. Sounds formal.
彼は真理の探求者だ。
He is a seeker of truth.
Used in formal contexts like search and rescue operations. Not common in everyday speech.
捜索者たちは山で遭難者を探した。
The seekers searched for the missing person in the mountains.
Someone on a quest for non-material goals like wisdom, enlightenment, or justice.
A seeker of the way, often used in spiritual or philosophical contexts. Implies a dedicated pursuit.
彼は悟りを求める求道者だ。
He is a seeker of enlightenment.
Also used for abstract pursuits, but slightly less spiritual than 求道者. Common in phrases like 'seeker of knowledge'.
A flexible pattern: 'a person who seeks ~'. Replace ～ with the object. Natural and widely used.
彼は冒険を求める人だ。
He is a seeker of adventure.
真実を求める人々が集まった。
Seekers of truth gathered.
Someone looking for employment.
Standard term for job seeker. Used in formal and business contexts.
求職者は履歴書を送ってください。
Job seekers, please send your resume.
Casual, everyday way to say 'person looking for a job'.
仕事を探している人が多い。
There are many job seekers.
A person who has fled their country and is seeking protection in another.
Official term for asylum seeker. Used in legal and news contexts.
難民申請者は保護を求めている。
Asylum seekers are seeking protection.
Literally 'person hoping for asylum'. Slightly less formal than 難民申請者.
多くの亡命希望者が国境を越えた。
Many asylum seekers crossed the border.
A player position or character role that involves searching for something.
Loanword from English, used in contexts like Harry Potter's Quidditch position. Widely understood among fans.
ハリーはシーカーとして活躍した。
Harry played an active role as a Seeker.
Used in RPGs or adventure contexts for a character who explores or searches. More generic than シーカー.
ダンジョンの探索者は罠に注意しなければならない。
Dungeon seekers must be careful of traps.
The English word 'seeker' often sounds unnatural if directly translated into Japanese. Instead, describe the person by what they are seeking using patterns like ～を探している人 or ～を求める人.
彼は刺激を求めている。
He is a thrill-seeker.
探求者 (tankyūsha) is a general seeker of knowledge or truth, while 求道者 (kyūdōsha) implies a spiritual or philosophical quest, often associated with religion or martial arts.
難民申請者たちが国境に到着した。
The asylum seekers arrived at the border.
知識の探求者は常に学び続ける。
A seeker of knowledge never stops learning.