How to say "drainage" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 排水はいすいnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe default choice for drainage as the draining or pumping out of water, or the sewerage system itself. Typical in contexts of construction, plumbing, and water management.
- 下水げすいnounCovers drainage in the sense of sewerage — wastewater and the sewer system. It is really about sewage rather than the act of draining, so it fits urban infrastructure contexts.
- 放水ほうすいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbMarginal for everyday 'drainage'; its core sense is the discharge of water from a river, dam, or similar source. Choose it only when drainage means releasing or discharging water, not removing wastewater.
- 排水溝はいすいこうnounDrainage as a physical thing: a gutter or ditch that carries water away. Use it when referring to the actual channel, such as one beside a road or building.
Use 排水 for drainage as the act or system of draining water, 下水 for sewage and drains as infrastructure, 排水溝 for a physical gutter or ditch, and 放水 only for discharging water from rivers or dams.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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