Translation guide
The English phrasal verb 'clean up' covers tidying a space, removing mess, and figurative uses like improving behavior or finishing tasks. In Japanese, the best expression depends on what is being cleaned and the context.
To put things in order, organize, or make a room neat.
The most common verb for tidying up a room, desk, or belongings. Transitive; takes an object marked with を.
Please clean up your room.
I cleaned up my desk.
Intransitive counterpart of 片付ける. Describes the state of being tidy. Often used when the room gets clean by itself or without specifying who did it.
The room finally got cleaned up.
Focuses on organizing, sorting, and putting things in order. More systematic than 片付ける. Often used for documents, data, or decluttering.
Please clean up (organize) the documents.
To clean something by washing, wiping, or removing stains and trash.
General cleaning, such as sweeping, vacuuming, or wiping surfaces. Used for rooms, houses, and objects.
I clean up the house on weekends.
I cleaned up the kitchen.
Literally 'make clean/beautiful'. A versatile phrase for cleaning anything, from a room to a stain. Can be used for personal grooming as well.
I cleaned up the dirty floor.
To wash. Use when cleaning with water, such as dishes, hands, or a car.
To clear away dishes, trash, or aftermath of an activity.
To stop doing something bad or to reform oneself.
To complete or deal with leftover items.
片付ける focuses on tidying and putting things away, while 掃除する focuses on removing dirt and dust. You can 片付ける a messy desk by organizing papers, but you 掃除する it by wiping it down.
The English phrase 'clean up' can be translated literally as きれいにする, but in many contexts a more specific verb like 片付ける or 掃除する is more natural. Using きれいにする for tidying a room may sound slightly off.
I washed the car and cleaned it up.
After the meal, I cleaned up the table.
He cleaned up his act and quit gambling.