Translation guide
The act of placing something underground, covering it with earth, or hiding it. This guide covers common Japanese expressions for burying objects, people, or abstract things.
To place something or someone into a hole and cover with earth, soil, or sand.
The most common verb for burying something in the ground. Transitive verb.
犬が骨を庭に埋めた。
The dog buried a bone in the garden.
彼らは宝箱を砂浜に埋めた。
They buried a treasure chest on the beach.
Formal term for burying a dead body, used in official or ceremonial contexts.
遺体は墓地に埋葬された。
The remains were buried in the cemetery.
Intransitive verb meaning to be buried or to sink into the ground, often used for objects or ruins.
古代都市が火山灰に埋没した。
The ancient city was buried in volcanic ash.
To cover something completely with a substance like snow, leaves, or paperwork, not necessarily in a hole.
Intransitive verb meaning to be buried or covered by something, often used for being buried in snow, work, or clutter.
車が雪に埋もれた。
The car was buried in snow.
机の上が書類で埋もれている。
The desk is buried under documents.
Can also be used transitively to mean covering something with a substance, like filling a hole or covering with sand.
To suppress or hide emotions, memories, or information.
Literally 'to put away deep in one's chest', meaning to bury feelings or secrets inside oneself.
その悲しみを胸の奥にしまった。
I buried that sadness deep inside.
To sink something to the bottom of one's heart, implying burying a memory or emotion.
彼はその記憶を心の奥底に沈めた。
He buried that memory deep in his heart.
Literally 'to bury' or 'to consign to oblivion', used metaphorically for burying the past or a secret.
To immerse oneself completely in work, study, or a hobby.
To be absorbed or immersed in something, often used for burying oneself in work or a project.
彼は研究に没頭している。
He is burying himself in his research.
Can also mean to be buried in work or routine, losing oneself in it.
日々の業務に埋没している。
I'm buried in daily tasks.
埋める (umeru) is transitive: someone buries something. 埋もれる (umoreru) is intransitive: something gets buried or is in a buried state. Use 埋める when you are doing the burying, and 埋もれる when describing the state of being covered.
私は宝を埋めた。
I buried the treasure.
宝が砂に埋もれている。
The treasure is buried in the sand.
English often uses 'bury' metaphorically (bury the hatchet, bury your head in the sand). These rarely translate directly with 埋める. Instead, use specific Japanese idioms or verbs like 葬る (to bury the past) or 見て見ぬふりをする (to bury one's head in the sand).
I filled the hole with sand.
過去を葬り去る。
To bury the past.