How to say "saving" in Japanese

• セーブCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA loanword for conserving something or holding it in check: saving energy, cutting down on alcohol, going easy on it, or checking impulses. The nuance is moderation — using less rather than giving it up.
• 積立つみたてCommon
  noun'Saving' as putting money aside a little at a time so that it accumulates; the word also covers the savings themselves. Think of regular deposits toward a particular goal.
• 節約せつやくJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbEconomising: saving money, time, or resources by cutting waste and spending less. This is the word for frugality in general — household budgeting, trimming expenses, cutting back on utility bills.
  この主要しゅよう道路どうろのお陰かげでずいぶん時間じかんが節約せつやくできる。↗

  This highway saves us a lot of time.
• 格納かくのうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb'Saving' in the computing sense: putting data into a computer's memory. This is the word for saving files or data on a machine, not for economising in daily life.
• エコノミーCommon
  nounGlossed as economising or saving, but in practice seldom the word you want on its own: it really lives inside set compounds, and 節約 is the natural choice for economising.

Choose 「セーブ」 for conserving energy or going easy on something, 積立 for putting money aside as savings, 節約 for economising in daily life, 格納 for saving data on a computer, and 「エコノミー」 only rarely.

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

• セーブsaving (e.g. energy)
• 積立つみたてsaving
• 節約せつやくeconomising
• セービングsaving
• 格納かくのうputting into computer memory
• エコノミーeconomising
• 省しょうsaving