How to say "fail-safe" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounCovers the technical sense of 'fail-safe': a system or mechanism designed so that it fails in a way that prevents danger. Typical in engineering, machinery, and safety-design contexts, and it is a loanword used as is.
- 絶対安全ぜったいあんぜんexpression, na-adjectiveCorresponds to the sense of 'fail-safe' meaning totally safe or foolproof, emphasizing absolute safety. It describes something as completely safe rather than naming a design principle, so it suits claims that a system can never cause harm.
- nounCovers the sense of 'fail-safe' as fool-proofing or error-proofing: devices or procedures designed to prevent human mistakes. Common in manufacturing and quality-control contexts; it is about stopping errors before they happen, not about how systems fail.
Use 「フェイルセーフ」 for the technical engineering sense of a fail-safe mechanism, 絶対安全 for describing something as totally or absolutely safe, and 「ポカヨケ」 for mistake-proofing that prevents human error.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
