While making a list of Christmas vocabulary, I've noticed there are several
words for "decoration". 飾り, デコレーション, 飾り付け, and 装飾 are the ones I've seen.

Judging by google images (with "クリスマス" added), they're something like this -

飾り - any kind of decoration  
飾り付け - arrangements or stuff on walls/hanging from ceilings, like banners and
garlands  
デコレーション - Not sure about this one...it seems like it's mostly for a bunch of
decorations together, rather than individual ones. Also, the decorations on
cakes  
装飾 - Decorations in public places

So, what's the difference between these? And are there any other common words
that mean "decoration"?
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2014-12-25T09:28:27.583
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2017-12-29T11:47:02.207
2017-09-15T10:26:08.470
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question
word-choice
Differences between the words for "decoration"?
飾り=decoration

デコレーション=decoration

飾り付け=decoration or decorating, **the act of decorating**

装飾=decoration

They means the same thing, except 飾り付け may emphasize the act of decorating in
some contexts.
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2017-08-19T10:29:01.180
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2017-08-19T10:29:01.180
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answer
> 飾｛かざ｝り, デコレーション, 飾｛かざ｝り付｛つ｝け, and 装飾｛そうしょく｝

Before distinguishing these words, I looked up "decoration" in several
English-English dictionaries, and I found that there are roughly three
meanings as follows:

(1) The act, process, technique, or art of decorating  
(2) Something used to decorate, especially when put up **temporarily** to
celebrate or call attention to a special occasion  
(3) An emblem of honor, such as a medal or badge

At first I can say that only "飾り付け" is different from the others; it has the
meaning corresponing to (1) in the definition of a dictionary; that is also
said in Seesawscene's answer.

As for "デコレーション", "飾り" and "装飾", they have nothing to do with the meaning of
(3).

I also judged them by google images ( **without** "クリスマス" added), and found
they're something like this.

Classification A:

  * bright, colorful, showy ---- デコレーション
  * imposing, monolithic, massive, dignified, stately ---- 装飾
  * N/A ---- 飾り

Classification B:

  * temporary ---- デコレーション、飾り
  * permanent ---- 装飾

Judging from this classification, "装飾" may not correspond to (2) according to
the definition of the dictionary. As an expression to support this, we say
"装飾を施｛ほどこ｝す lit. _to operate/apply 装飾_ ", while we say "飾りを付ける lit. _to attach
飾り_ "

Classification C:

  * Western style or modern ---- デコレーション
  * Japanese style or traditional ---- 飾り
  * N/A ---- 装飾

Although the application to each classification is my personal judgment, I
think it is not so deviated from the general judgment.  
As a fact that supports these decisions, I'll show below where these words
came from.

  * A loan word from English ---- デコレーション
  * A loan word from Chinese ---- 装飾
  * A Japan's own word ---- 飾り
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2017-09-15T13:37:36.467
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answer