Translation guide
A synopsis is a brief summary of a story, article, or event. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is あらすじ, used for plot summaries. Other options include 概要 for formal overviews and 要約 for condensed summaries.
A brief summary of a story, movie, book, or play.
The most common and natural word for a plot summary. Used for movies, books, TV shows, etc.
A concise summary of a document, project, or event, often in business or academic contexts.
A very short, condensed version of any content.
Main point or gist; often used for the abstract of a thesis or the key points of a speech.
あらすじ is specifically for story plots (movies, books, etc.). 概要 is a formal overview of any topic, often used in business or academic settings. 要約 is a condensed summary, like an abstract or digest, focusing on distilling content. Use あらすじ for entertainment, 概要 for reports/plans, and 要約 for articles/papers.
The loanword シノプシス (shinopushisu) exists but is very rare and sounds unnatural. Stick to あらすじ or 概要.
この映画のあらすじを教えてください。
Please tell me the synopsis of this movie.
あらすじを読んでから本を買うか決めます。
I'll decide whether to buy the book after reading the synopsis.
Kanji form of あらすじ, more common in formal or written contexts.
論文の冒頭に研究の粗筋を述べた。
I stated the synopsis of the research at the beginning of the paper.
Used for formal overviews, outlines, or summaries of reports, plans, or events.
プロジェクトの概要を説明します。
I will explain the synopsis of the project.
会議の概要をメールで送ります。
I'll send a synopsis of the meeting by email.
A condensed summary or abstract, often used for articles, papers, or long documents.
この記事の要約を作成してください。
Please create a synopsis of this article.
A general summary or wrap-up, less formal than 概要. Often used in presentations or casual contexts.
最後に、今日の話のまとめをします。
Finally, I'll give a synopsis of today's talk.
論文の要旨を英語で書いてください。
Please write the synopsis of the thesis in English.
Loanword from English 'digest', used for a condensed version of a book, movie, or news.
この小説のダイジェスト版を読みました。
I read the synopsis version of this novel.