How do you say "candle" in Japanese?

蝋燭

rōsoku

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "candle" is 蝋燭 (rōsoku).

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Pronunciation

蝋燭 is written using kanji. Romanised as rōsoku, it sounds roughly like "roh-soh-koo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Rosoku is written with older kanji showing Japanese history. Though less common in modern writing, it appears in traditional contexts and literature.

Example sentence

その蝋燭はとても便利です。

Sono Rōsoku wa totemo benri desu.

That candle is very useful.

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How to remember 蝋燭

An old-fashioned word for an old-fashioned object. Candles have been used in Japan for centuries.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more house words.

Questions about 蝋燭

How do you pronounce 蝋燭?

蝋燭 is romanised as rōsoku. Say it roughly like "roh-soh-koo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 蝋燭 formal or casual?

蝋燭 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 蝋燭 written in Japanese?

蝋燭 is written using kanji. Rosoku is written with older kanji showing Japanese history.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Candle" in other languages

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