The summer in Japan is very hot and rainy, many end up suffering from heatstroke. A great lifesaver is the Air Conditioner, however, some foreigners who encounter it feel lost with those words completely in japonês. Of course, there are air conditioners of various brands and different types. Knowing the main words written on an air conditioner will help you use it.
Each remote control is different, so it's no use putting a picture here indicating each button. What we can do is present a list of words that are present on the remote controls so you know what each button does.
Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji | Portuguese |
stop | suppression | teishi | stop, turn off |
Driving | driving | down | call, operate |
Air conditioning | rainbow | reibou | Air conditioning |
Heating | heating | danbou | Warming |
Dehumidification | joshitsu | joshitsu | Dehumidify |
Dry | dorai | Dehumidify | |
Automatic | automobile | jidou | Automatic |
These are the main basic functions of a Japanese air conditioner. The Dehumidify option is used to save energy; it does not heat the room but reduces the humidity in the air. The automatic option sets the temperature to the standard suggested by the manufacturer.

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Some air conditioners have many more functions and settings. Below are some words you may find in these air conditioners or even in heaters:
Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji | Portuguese |
Temperature | temperature | ondo | control temperature |
Wind direction | fuukou | unfortunate | fan direction |
Menu | menu | Menu | |
Advance | すすむ (susumu) translates to "advance" or "proceed" in English. | susumu | advance |
Back | back | return | back |
Enter timer | Newcomer | turn on timer | |
Cut Timer | setsu taimaa | Stop timer (cut) | |
Swing | swimming | Balance Function | |
High Power | haipawaa | High power | |
Laundry | randorii | laundry mode | |
Power saving | shou pawaa | Energy saving | |
Airflow switch | wind direction change | fuuryou kirikae | airflow |
Driving switch | switch driving | unten kirikae | airflow |
Blowing | sofu | soufuu | to ventilate |
strong wind | kyōfū | kyoufuu | strong, tall |
Light wind | This phrase appears to be in Japanese. If you're looking for a translation, "じゃくふう" (jakufū) can be interpreted as "weak wind" or "light wind." Let me know if you need assistance with something else! | jyakufuu | weak low fan |
gentle breeze | びふう | bifuu | very low breeze |
Silent | seion | seion | silence mode |
Driving | driving | down | operate, call |
Some of the settings mentioned above can be controlled top-down. The words after airflow usually appear on the screen to show how it is configured.
- The balance function allows the fan to rotate up and down;
- The laundry mode adjusts the temperature and humidity to dry your clothes;
- The airflow can be controlled to low, weak, and silent. You click the button several times to set it the way you want;
Well, I hope these words help you understand how air conditioning works in Japan. I know it's still necessary for you to have a basic understanding of temperature and how an air conditioner works to know how to set it the way you want. If you have any tips or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
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