What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
romanize
Example
The Korean name '한글' can be romanized as 'Hangul'. [romanize: verb]
Example
The romanization of Japanese words can be confusing due to the multiple possible pronunciations. [romanization: noun]
transliterate
Example
The Chinese character '中國' can be transliterated as 'Zhōngguó'. [transliterate: verb]
Example
The Arabic name 'محمد' can be transliterated as 'Mohammed' in English. [transliterated: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Transliterate is more commonly used than romanize in everyday language, especially in the context of languages that use non-Latin scripts. Romanize is more commonly used in academic or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between romanize and transliterate?
Both romanize and transliterate are formal terms used in linguistics and language studies. However, transliterate may be more commonly used in informal contexts due to its wider usage in everyday language.
