What is the difference between "電話" and "でんわ"?

"電話" means "telephone, phone call" (N5), whereas "でんわ" represents "telephone, phone call" (N5).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "でんわ (denwa)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

でんわ (denwa)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

でんわ (denwa)

N5 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "でんわ (denwa)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

電話 (Level: N5): Translates to "telephone, phone call" and is used when Can refer to the device.
でんわ (Level: N5): Maps to "telephone, phone call" and carries the nuance of Can refer to the device itself or a phone call. To make a call is 電話をかけます.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "電話"

友達に電話をかけます。

I will call my friend.

Bilingual Context for "でんわ"

友達に電話をかけました。

I made a phone call to my friend.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "友達に＿＿＿をかけます。" (Meaning: "I will call my friend.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "電話" is used for "telephone, phone call" in the context: "I will call my friend.".