補聴器（ほちょうき、hochouki）
- hearing aid

The Japanese word 補聴器 (ほちょうき) means "hearing aid." It refers to a small electronic device designed to amplify sound for people with hearing loss. It helps individuals hear sounds more clearly and participate more fully in conversations and daily activities. 補聴器 typically consists of a microphone to pick up sound, an amplifier to make the sound louder, and a speaker to transmit the amplified sound into the ear.

⚫︎おじいさんは新しい《補聴器を買いました。》 Translation: My grandfather bought a new hearing aid. ⚫︎彼女は《補聴器をつけてから、会話が楽になりました。》 Translation: After wearing a hearing aid, conversations became easier for her. ⚫︎《補聴器は様々な種類があり、自分の聴力に合わせて選ぶ必要があります。》 Translation: There are various types of hearing aids, and you need to choose one that suits your hearing ability.

You use 補聴器 when talking about hearing aids themselves. It's used in sentences discussing the function, purchase, or use of these devices. You can use it in conversations with doctors, audiologists, or anyone discussing hearing loss or assistance.

補聴器 is typically written using the kanji 補聴器, but can also be written in hiragana ほちょうき if the kanji is too difficult. There are no variations in the okurigana. The word is always written as 補聴器.

There are no direct synonyms for 補聴器. However, words related to hearing or assistance for hearing loss might be relevant depending on the context.

There is no direct antonym for 補聴器. The concept opposite hearing aids, would be something like, perfect hearing, or not needing assistance with hearing.

私の祖母は、最近、テレビの音が聞こえにくくなったので、《補聴器を検討しています。》 ・Translation: My grandmother is considering a hearing aid because she's having trouble hearing the TV lately. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the person's grandmother is considering a 補聴器 due to hearing difficulties.

《補聴器は、聴覚障害のある人々の生活の質を向上させるために役立ちます。》 ・Translation: Hearing aids help improve the quality of life for people with hearing impairments. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the beneficial purpose of a 補聴器 for people who have hearing impairments.

The word 補聴器 is a compound word. 補聴 means "aiding hearing" or "assisting hearing," which consists of 補 (ho) meaning "supplement," "assist," or "aid" and 聴 (chou) meaning "hearing" or "listening." The character 器 (ki) means "instrument," "device," or "appliance." Therefore, the literal translation is "hearing aid device."