How do you say "to take (a photo)" in Japanese?

撮る

toru

Verb Kanji

In Japanese, "to take (a photo)" is 撮る (toru).

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Pronunciation

撮る is written using kanji. Romanised as toru, it sounds roughly like "toh-roo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

The kanji 撮 combines a hand element with a phonetic suggesting grasping or capturing, used specifically for taking photographs.

Example sentence

子供たちは撮りますのが楽しそうです。

Kodomotachi wa torimasu no ga tanoshisou desu.

The children seem to enjoy take (a photo)ing.

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How to remember 撮る

A hand capturing or grasping an image. Picture pressing a camera button to freeze a moment.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese verbs.

Questions about 撮る

How do you pronounce 撮る?

撮る is romanised as toru. Say it roughly like "toh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 撮る formal or casual?

撮る 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 撮る written in Japanese?

撮る is written using kanji. The kanji 撮 combines a hand element with a phonetic suggesting grasping or capturing, used specifically for taking photographs..

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.

"To take (a photo)" in other languages

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