How to say "postpone" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 遅らせるおくらせるichidan verb, transitive verbThe general word for making something happen later: it covers plain delay and slowing down, and 'postpone' in the loose sense of putting something off rather than formally rescheduling it.
- 繰り延べるくりのべるichidan verb, transitive verbThe natural choice for formally postponing or deferring something: a meeting, payment, or decision is put off and rescheduled for a later time. Use this for the 'defer' sense of postpone.
- 繰り下げるくりさげるichidan verb, transitive verbPostpone as moving a fixed date, time, or age to a later point — the 'move down' image. Close to 繰り延べる, but the focus is on the date itself being shifted back.
- 遅らすおくらすgodan verb, transitive verbA shorter variant of 遅らせる with the same senses: to delay, slow down, or put off. In meaning the two are interchangeable, so for 'postpone' it again suggests simple delay rather than formal rescheduling.
- 持ち越すもちこすgodan verb, transitive verbPostpone in the sense of carrying something over: an issue, decision, or piece of work is left unsettled and taken up later. The matter itself moves forward, rather than an event being rescheduled.
For plain delay use 「遅らせる」 (or its variant 「遅らす」); for formally deferring or rescheduling, 「繰り延べる」; for moving a fixed date later, 「繰り下げる」; for carrying an unresolved matter forward, 「持ち越す」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
