Translation guide
The English word "wire" covers several distinct concepts in Japanese. This guide breaks them down by meaning: metal thread, electrical cable, fencing, and the verb sense of installing wiring or sending money.
A thin, flexible strand of metal, used for tying, crafting, or structural support.
The most common word for a thin metal wire used for tying, crafts, or gardening. Often implies a single strand.
針金で荷物を縛った。
I tied the package with wire.
針金を曲げてフックを作った。
I bent a wire to make a hook.
Loanword from English, often used for thicker, stronger wire like steel cable or wire rope. Common in industrial or mechanical contexts.
ワイヤーが切れたので交換が必要だ。
The wire snapped, so it needs to be replaced.
Technical term for metal wire, used in engineering or scientific contexts.
この金属線は導電性が高い。
This metal wire has high conductivity.
An insulated or bare conductor used to carry electricity or signals.
General term for electrical wire, especially overhead power lines or building wiring.
電線に鳥が止まっている。
A bird is perched on the wire.
電線が切れて停電した。
The wire broke and caused a power outage.
Refers to a flexible electrical cord, like a power cord or extension cord. Often used for appliance wires.
Used for thicker, often multi-conductor cables, like network cables, audio cables, or power cables.
Technical term for a conducting wire, often used in electronics or physics.
Wire used to make fences, barriers, or enclosures, often barbed or mesh.
Barbed wire, often used for military barriers, prisons, or security fences.
敷地の周りに鉄条網が張られている。
The perimeter is fenced with wire.
Wire mesh or netting, used for fences, cages, or screens.
The verb "to wire" meaning to install electrical wiring or to send money electronically.
To wire a building or device, meaning to install electrical wiring.
新しい家に配線する。
To wire a new house.
電気工事士が配線した。
The electrician wired it.
To wire money, i.e., to send funds electronically or via bank transfer.
銀行から送金した。
I wired the money from the bank.
海外に送金する方法を教えてください。
Please tell me how to wire money overseas.
Specifically refers to telegraphic transfer, a formal term for wiring money.
電信送金で支払いを行った。
We made the payment by wire transfer.
When referring to the wire of a household appliance, do not use 針金 (harigane) or 電線 (densen). Use コード (kōdo) for flexible cords, or ケーブル (kēburu) for thicker cables.
針金 (harigane) is the everyday word for thin, bendable metal wire (like for crafts or tying). ワイヤー (waiyā) is a loanword often used for stronger, thicker wire such as steel cable or wire rope, and is common in industrial contexts.
Please plug this wire into the outlet.
LANケーブルをルーターに接続した。
I connected the wire (LAN cable) to the router.
導線を回路に半田付けする。
Solder the wire to the circuit.
Another term for barbed wire, literally "barbed iron wire." Slightly more descriptive.
有刺鉄線に服が引っかかった。
My clothes got caught on the wire.
金網のフェンスを設置した。
We installed a wire mesh fence.