Japanese word

会話

Pronunciation

Romajikaiwa

Meaning

  • nounchat, conversation

Example

友達と会話をします。tomo dachi to kai wa o shi ma su

I have a chat with my friend.

Illustration for 会話 (chat)

More examples

毎晩、家族と会話をします。mai ban ka zoku to kai wa o shi ma su

I have a conversation with my family every night.

困ったときは、先生との会話で気持ちを整理します。koma tta to ki wa sen sei to no kai wa de ki mo chi o sei ri shi ma su

When I have a problem, I sort out my feelings through a conversation with my teacher.

Core concept

It centers on people exchanging spoken words to share thoughts, information, or responses.

Common phrases

  • 会話をするkai wa o su ru

    have a conversation

  • 会話が弾むkai wa ga hazu mu

    the conversation flows

  • 会話を続けるkai wa o tsuzu ke ru

    continue the conversation

  • 会話に参加するkai wa ni san ka su ru

    join the conversation

Similar words

対話taiwa: A spoken exchange between two or more people in which each person responds to the other.
雑談zatsudan: Casual talk about light or everyday topics without a specific purpose.
話し合いhanashiai: A spoken exchange in which people discuss an issue and try to reach an understanding or decision.

Definition in Japanese

人と人とが言葉を交わし、互いに考えや情報を伝え合うこと。hito to hito to ga koto ba o ka wa shi taga i ni kanga e ya jō hō o tsuta e a u ko to

Word origin

会話 (kaiwa) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 会 (kai, "meet") and 話 (wa, "talk"), joining the ideas of meeting and speech.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English chat, 会話 (kaiwa) usually refers to spoken conversation and does not by itself imply online messaging.

Other meanings

  • talknoun

Opposites

  • 独白dokuhakumonologuenoun

Related words

  • 会話力kaiwaryokuconversation skillsnoun
  • 会話的kaiwatekiconversationalna-adjective

Word lists with this word