Translation guide
A meeting held via telecommunications technology. In Japanese, the most common term is テレビ会議 (video conference), but other terms exist depending on the medium. For learners, テレビ会議 is the safest default.
A meeting where participants see and hear each other via video link.
The most common and natural term for a video conference. Despite 'telebi' in the name, it refers to video conferencing in general.
明日の会議はテレビ会議で行います。
Tomorrow's meeting will be held via video conference.
Also means video conference, but slightly less common than テレビ会議. Often used in IT contexts.
ビデオ会議システムを導入しました。
We introduced a video conferencing system.
Remote meeting. A broader term that includes audio-only or video meetings. Very common since the rise of remote work.
今日はリモート会議が3件あります。
I have three remote meetings today.
Online meeting. Similar to リモート会議, but emphasizes the internet connection. Very common.
オンライン会議のURLを送ります。
I'll send you the URL for the online meeting.
Web conference. Often used for browser-based meetings. Slightly technical.
Web会議ツールを比較する。
Compare web conferencing tools.
A meeting conducted only by telephone or voice over IP, without video.
Telephone conference. Specifically for audio-only calls, often using a conference bridge.
電話会議に参加するための番号を教えてください。
Please tell me the number to join the telephone conference.
Voice conference. A more technical term, less common in everyday speech.
音声会議システムを設定する。
Set up a voice conference system.
These three are often used interchangeably in casual contexts, but テレビ会議 specifically implies video, while リモート会議 and オンライン会議 can include audio-only. リモート会議 emphasizes the remote aspect, and オンライン会議 emphasizes the internet connection. In business, テレビ会議 is the most established term for video conferencing.
今日の会議はテレビ会議ですか、それとも電話会議ですか？
Is today's meeting a video conference or a telephone conference?
The direct loanword テレカンファレンス exists but is rarely used. It sounds unnatural and overly technical. Stick to the terms above.