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The meaning of denki (電気) in Japanese and how to use it

This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the Japanese word denki, including its Japanese definition and translation, example sentences, related expressions and more!

What does denki mean?

The Japanese word denki (電気、でんき) means electricity or power. It can also sometimes mean light in certain situations. Denki is normally equivalent to a noun, but it can also modify other words when it comes in front of them. For example, denki kiki (電気機器) stands for electrical device.

Below, we take a look at some examples of how to use denki in Japanese.

To make it easier for you, I have written each sentence in full Japanese kanji on the first line, followed by roman letters (romaji), and hiragana, with the English meaning coming last.

Example sentences using denki

The Japanese word denki (電気、でんき) means electricity or power.

電気は便利だけど、危ない時もある。
Denki wa benri dakedo, abunai toki mo aru.
でんきはべんりだけど、あぶないときもある。
Electricity is convenient, but sometimes it can also be dangerous.

その村には電気さえもない。
Sono mura ni wa denki sae mo nai.
そのむらにはでんきさえもない。
That village doesn’t even have electricity.

大変だ！電気が切れた!
Taihen da! Denki ga kireta!
たいへんだ！でんきがきれた！
Oh no! The power is out!

電気がないと日常生活ができない時代になった。
Denki ga nai to nichijo seikatsu ga dekinai jidai ni natta.
でんきがないとにちじょうせいかつができないじだいになった。
We are now in an era where we can’t live our everyday lives without power.

Denki wo tsukeru/Denki wo kesu

Denki can sometimes also mean light when combined with the verbs tsukeru (turn on) or kesu (turn off).

電気を付けたら目が覚めた。
Denki wo tsuketara me ga sameta.
でんきをつけたらめがさめた。
I woke up after turning on the light.

いつも電気を消すと怖い気持ちになる。
Itsumo denki wo kesu to kowai kimochi ni naru.
いつもでんきをけすとこわいきもちになる。
I always feel scared when I turn out the light.

Dengen: Power source

Another useful word is dengen (電源、でんげん), which means power source. As I’m sure you can appreciate, this one is a lifesaver when your laptop is depleted and you quickly need to find an outlet (konsento, コンセント)!

最近、充電があるカフェが増えた。
Saikin, dengen ga aru kafue ga fueta.
さいきん、でんげんがあるかふぇがふえた。
The number of cafes with power sources has recently increased.

Rohan
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Published by Rohan

Rohan is a professional Japanese translator and the author behind Tanukiki.com, a blog that offers Japanese language tips and insights on life in Japan. Rohan's favorite resource for learning Japanese is JapanesePod101, one of the best tools for getting started with the language. Sign up for a free lifetime account here.