How to say "save" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 助けるたすけるichidan verb, transitive verbCovers 'save' as in rescuing or helping a person out of danger or trouble; the broad word for coming to someone's aid, whether lending a hand or pulling them out of harm's way.
- godan verb, intransitive verbCovers 'save' in the sense of accumulating: money, points, or work piles up over time. It describes the piling up itself, not a person's deliberate act of setting money aside.
- 救うすくうgodan verb, transitive verbCovers 'save' as in rescuing someone from danger or getting them out of hardship — saving a life, for instance. The emphasis is on freeing a person from a plight rather than lending a hand.
- 余すあますgodan verb, transitive verbCovers 'save' as in leaving something over or sparing it: not using everything up, so that a portion remains. Its core sense is 'leave over', so think remainder, not rescue or accumulation.
- 積み立てるつみたてるichidan verb, transitive verbCovers 'save' in the sense of saving up: steadily building up money by setting it aside over time, typically toward a goal such as a purchase. Not for rescuing people or leftovers.
Use 「助ける」 or 「救う」 to save or rescue a person; 「たまる」 when things accumulate; 「積み立てる」 to save up steadily toward a goal; 「余す」 to leave something over or spare it.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 助けるたすけるto save
- たまるto collect
- 救うすくうto rescue (someone)
- 余すあますto save
- 積み立てるつみたてるto accumulate
- 除いてのぞいてexcept
- 助け出すたすけだすto help (someone) out of trouble
- 度するどするto redeem (from sin)
- 節するせっするto be moderate of
- 残すのこすto save
- 保存ほぞんsave (to storage)
- セーブsave
- キープto put aside (for someone)
- 浮かすうかすto save (on one's expenses)
- 省くはぶくto curtail
- 浮かせるうかせるto save (on one's expenses)
- 繋ぎ止めるつなぎとめるto secure (trust, patronage of customers, etc.)
- 取り置くとりおくto preserve
- 取るとるto secure
See also
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