配信

• Reading: はいしん
• Romaji: haishin
• Kanji breakdown: 配 (distribute) + 信 (transmit/signal) → distributing a signal, i.e. broadcasting
• Pronunciation: /ha.i.ɕi.n/

Meaning

A livestream or broadcast — the act of streaming content live to an online audience.

配信 originally meant distribution or delivery (of content), but in modern internet slang it almost exclusively refers to livestreaming. It is the standard word for any online broadcast, whether on YouTube, Twitch, TwitCasting, or other platforms. '配信する' means to livestream, '配信者' means streamer, and '配信中' means currently live. It is one of the most fundamental terms in Japanese streaming vocabulary and is understood by virtually all internet-savvy Japanese speakers.

Examples

1. 今日22時から配信するからよかったら来てね。 I'm going live at 10 PM tonight, so come hang out if you want.
2. 推しの配信が生きがいになってる。 My oshi's streams have basically become my reason for living.
3. 配信中にコメント拾ってもらえて嬉しかった。 I was so happy when they read my comment during the stream.

Usage Guide

Context: streaming, social media, YouTube, general conversation

Tone: neutral, everyday

Do Say

• 今日配信ある？ (Is there a stream today?)
• 配信アーカイブ残してくれるとありがたい。 (I appreciate it when they leave the stream archive up.)

Don't Say

• 新聞やテレビの文脈で配信をストリーミングの意味で使う (In traditional media contexts, 配信 still means 'distribution' — be aware of the dual meaning)

Common Mistakes

• Not knowing that 配信 can still mean general content distribution in formal/business contexts, not just livestreaming
• Confusing 配信 (stream/broadcast) with 放送 (hōsō, traditional TV/radio broadcast)

Origin & History

From 配 (hai, distribute) + 信 (shin, transmit). Originally a general media distribution term, it narrowed in meaning to 'livestream' with the rise of streaming platforms in the 2010s. Now the default word for any online broadcast in Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s meaning shift to livestreaming

Generation: All ages (universal internet term)

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across Japan. One of the most basic and widely understood streaming-related terms.