Translation guide
The English word 'brace' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: preparing for impact, supporting something physically, a dental device, and the punctuation mark. Less common meanings like a pair of game birds or a carpenter's tool are omitted.
To physically or mentally prepare oneself for something difficult, unpleasant, or impactful.
Literally 'to set one's body', used when physically bracing for a hit, shock, or sudden movement.
He braced himself for the punch.
To mentally prepare or resolve oneself for something difficult, often used for bad news or hardship.
Brace yourself for some bad news.
To prepare for something in advance. Can be used for bracing for natural disasters, emergencies, etc.
Brace for earthquakes.
To plant one's feet firmly and resist force; physically brace oneself against a push or pull.
I braced myself against the strong wind so I wouldn't be blown away.
To make something stronger or more rigid by adding support.
To reinforce or strengthen a structure. Common for buildings, furniture, etc.
They braced the wall to prevent it from collapsing.
To put in a prop or brace. More specific than 補強する.
I braced the shelf so it wouldn't sag.
To fix or secure in place. Used when bracing something to prevent movement.
I braced the desk so it wouldn't shake.
An orthodontic device used to straighten teeth.
The curly bracket symbols used in writing and programming.
Standard term for curly braces { }. Used in both general writing and programming contexts.
Code blocks are enclosed in braces.
Literally 'wave brackets', another common term for curly braces.
Loanword used in some technical contexts, but 括弧 terms are more standard.
The English word 'brace' is sometimes mistakenly thought to mean 'embrace' (hug). In Japanese, 'embrace' is 抱擁する (ほうようする) or 抱きしめる (だきしめる). These are unrelated to 'brace'.
身構える is physical bracing (e.g., for a tackle), while 覚悟する is mental/emotional preparation (e.g., for bad news). Use 身構える for physical readiness and 覚悟する for psychological readiness.
He braced himself for the ball.
She braced herself to hear the results.
ブレースを外した。
I got my braces off.
波括弧を閉じ忘れないで。
Don't forget to close the brace.
このブレースは不要です。
This brace is unnecessary.