How to say "fill" in Japanese

• 満ちるみちるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbCovers something becoming full or brimming — a vessel with water, a room with light, a heart with confidence. The subject is what fills up, not the person doing the filling.
  「世界せかい平和へいわ」という言葉ことばは魅力的みりょくてきに聞きこえるが、世界せかい平和へいわへの道みちは長ながく苦難くなんに満みちている。↗

  Although the phrase "world peace" sounds attractive, the road to world peace is very long and full of troubles.
• 盛り土もりどCommon
  nounThe civil-engineering noun for fill: earth placed to raise ground level, as for a road or railway embankment. Not a general verb for filling — outside construction it is seldom the word you want.
• 広がるひろがるJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbFor 'fill' as in something spreading out to occupy a space — a sound or view filling a room or valley. The nuance is extension across a space rather than packing something full.
  うわさは四方しほう八方はっぽうに広ひろがった。↗

  The rumor spread far and wide.
• 詰めるつめるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers 'fill' as packing or cramming things tightly into a space — stuffing a bag or packing a box. The emphasis is on tight packing, not simply on something becoming full.
  この穴あなを何なんかで詰つめなくては。↗

  We've got to fill this hole with something.
• 補うおぎなうJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFor 'fill' meaning to fill a vacancy or make up a shortage — filling a post, covering a loss. The idea is compensating for something missing, not filling a physical container.
  あなたの食事しょくじにはビタミンを補おぎなうほうがよい。↗

  You had better supplement your diet with vitamins.

Choose by what is being filled and how: 「満ちる」 for something becoming full or brimming, 「詰める」 for packing things in, 「広がる」 for spreading through a space, 「補う」 for filling a vacancy or shortage, and 「盛り土」 only for civil-engineering fill.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 満ちるみちるto fill
• 盛り土もりどembankment (for road, railway, etc.)
• 広がるひろがるto spread (out)
• 詰めるつめるto stuff into
• 補うおぎなうto supplement
• フィルfill
• たたえるto fill (with)
• フィルインfill-in (usu. percussion)
• 塞げるふさげるto close up
• 汲み入れるくみいれるto draw (water)
• 埋めるうずめるto fill (completely)
• 満たすみたすto fill (e.g. a cup)
• 勤めるつとめるto serve (as)
• おかずfill
• 埋めるうめるto plug (a gap)
• 塗りつぶしぬりつぶしfill (in graphics)
• 張るはるto fill
• 閉ざすとざすto consume (with negative feelings)