How to say "irreversible" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 不可逆ふかぎゃくna-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers 'irreversible' as a property of processes or changes, especially in scientific and technical writing such as thermodynamics or chemistry. Used as a noun or modifier; a somewhat technical term.
- 不可逆的ふかぎゃくてきna-adjectiveAlso covers 'irreversible' for processes or changes, with the -的 suffix making it work naturally as an adjectival modifier before nouns. Like 不可逆, it is chiefly found in technical or academic contexts.
- 回復不能かいふくふのうna-adjective, no-adjectiveMeans 'unrecoverable; irreparable' above all: damage, data, or a state from which recovery is impossible. It matches 'irreversible' only in that sense, so it is seldom the word for irreversible processes or changes in general.
- 回復不可能かいふくふかのうna-adjective, nounA slightly fuller variant of 回復不能 with the same core sense: unrecoverable, irreparable things such as lost data or damage. Choose it for 'irreversible' only when recovery is the point, not for irreversible processes broadly.
For irreversible processes or changes in scientific and technical contexts, use 不可逆 or 不可逆的; for things that cannot be recovered or repaired, use 回復不能 or 回復不可能.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
