備考欄(びこうらん)

Forms

備考(びこう) (remarks, notes) + 欄(らん) (column, field). The 欄(らん) suffix is used for various sections of forms and documents.

Usage

Very common on Japanese forms of all kinds — application forms, medical forms, order forms, surveys, and official documents. Knowing this word is essential for navigating Japanese bureaucracy and paperwork.

Common collocations

• 備考欄(びこうらん)に記入(きにゅう)する (to fill in the remarks section)
• 備考欄(びこうらん)に書(か)く (to write in the notes column)
• 備考欄(びこうらん)は空欄(くうらん)でよい (the remarks column can be left blank)

Related words

• 備考(びこう): remarks, notes — the content itself, without the 'column' part
• 欄(らん): column, field — used in many compounds like 解答欄(かいとうらん) (answer section) and 記入欄(きにゅうらん) (entry field)