N1をN2と言う (N1 o N2 to iu) Meaning & Usage: “N1 is called N2” in Japanese

Introduction

Have you ever wanted to say “This is called X” or “A person like that is called Y” in Japanese?

When you want to show the name of a thing, person, or concept, Japanese often uses N1をN2と言う.

1. Meaning: What does N1をN2と言う mean?

N1をN2と言う means:

• N1 is called N2
• N2 is the name for N1
• we call N1 N2

It is used when you want to show the name or label (N2) of a thing, person, action, or concept (N1).

Core idea

• N1 = the thing / matter being explained
• N2 = its name

So the pattern means: “The thing/event/person N1 is called N2.”

This grammar is often used in:

• definitions
• vocabulary explanations
• dictionary-style sentences
• teaching or describing categories

2. Formation

N1 + を + N2 + と言う

Grammar breakdown

• を (particle)
  Marks N1 as the thing being named or defined.
• と (particle)
  Quotation particle. It marks the word/name being said.
• 言う (verb)
  Means “to say” or “to call.”

Grammar Tip: When N1 is an action

Remember that N1 must be a noun. If you want to describe an action or a verb phrase, you must turn it into a noun by adding こと (koto) or の (no) before を.

Example: When the water supply is cut off, it is called dansui (断水).

❌ 水みずが止とまるを断水だんすいと言いいます。(Incorrect)

✅ 水みずが止とまることを断水だんすいと言いいます。(Correct)

Casual Speech: って言う (tte iu)

In casual, everyday conversation, Japanese people often replace と (to) with って (tte).

• 水みずが止とまることを断水だんすいって言いうよ。

3. Useful Examples

寝ねるときに着きる服ふくをパジャマと言いいます。
The clothes you wear when you sleep are called pajamas.

かっこいい男性だんせいを二枚目にまいめと言いいます。
A handsome man is called nimaime.

“Nimaime” originally comes from kabuki (歌舞伎). On old theater signboards, the second panel often showed the name of a handsome, gentle male character, so nimaime came to mean “a good-looking man.”

勉強べんきょうのために海外かいがいへ行いくことを留学りゅうがくと言いいます。
Going abroad for study is called ryugaku (studying abroad).

4. Related grammar (comparison)

…という + N / The N that …

…というN means: the N that [Sentence]

It is used when という modifies a noun.

• 子こどもが減へっているというニュース
  The news that the number of children is decreasing
• さとし先輩せんぱいに彼女かのじょができたといううわさ
  Rumors that Satoshi-senpai has a girlfriend
• 仕事中しごとちゅうにスマホを見みてはいけないというルール
  The rule against looking at your smartphone while working

So:

• N1をN2と言いう → gives a name/definition
• …というN → modifies a noun with quoted content or a label

～というのは～のことだ / X means Y

XというのはYのことだ: X means Y, X is the thing called Y.

It is often used to define or explain a term more directly.

John

「サラリーマン」とは何なんですか。
What is a “salaryman”?

Ken

サラリーマンというのは、会社かいしゃで働はたらいて給料きゅうりょうをもらう人ひとのことです。
A salaryman is someone who works for a company and receives a salary.

Ema

「オタク」って何なんですか。
What is an “otaku”?

Yumi

オタクというのは、アニメやマンガ、アイドルなどに熱中ねっちゅうしている人ひとのことです。
An otaku is someone who is passionate about anime, manga, idols, and the like.

This is very close in meaning to N1をN2と言う, but the sentence structure is different.

Compare:

• 勉強べんきょうのために外国がいこくへ行いくことを留学りゅうがくと言いいます。
• 留学りゅうがくというのは、勉強べんきょうのために外国がいこくへ行いくことです。

Both are natural.

…ということだ / According to …

This pattern has a different meaning. It often means:

• I heard that …
• According to …

天気予報てんきよほうによると、明日あしたは雨あめだということです。
According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.

So do not confuse:

• N1をN2と言う = naming / defining
• …ということだ = reported information or interpreted meaning

5. Practice

Translate the following English into Japanese using N1をN2と言う.

FAQ

Conclusion

In this article, you learned how to use N1をN2と言う to show the name of a thing, person, or concept in Japanese.

With this grammar, you can now:

• explain what something is called in Japanese,
• give simple definitions more naturally,
• and understand related patterns with という, such as …というN and ～というのは～のことだ.