How to say "preserve" in Japanese

• 保つたもつJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFor the abstract sense of 'preserve' — keeping something such as peace, order, or a tradition intact over time — this is the word you want; it is about maintaining, not about food.
  体面たいめんを保たもつために行いった。↗

  For appearances sake, I went.
• 漬けるつけるJLPT N4approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbOnly for the culinary sense: preserving food by pickling it in salt, vinegar, or the like. It is not the word for keeping traditions, peace, or other abstract things intact.

Use 「保つ」 for the general sense of keeping or maintaining something intact — a state, condition, or tradition — and 「漬ける」 only for the culinary sense of preserving food by pickling it in salt, vinegar, or the like.

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

• 保つたもつto keep
• 料地りょうちpreserve (of land)
• プリザーブpreserves (esp. fruit)
• 助け守るたすけまもるto protect
• つなぐto maintain
• 漬けるつけるto pickle
• 取り置くとりおくto preserve
• 存するそんするto retain
• 持たせるもたせるto keep
• 囲うかこうto store (vegetables, fruit, etc.)