Translation guide
How to express the concept of defrosting in Japanese, covering thawing frozen food, defrosting a freezer, and defogging a car windshield.
To express the action of thawing or defrosting frozen food, either naturally or using a microwave.
The most common and general verb for defrosting or thawing frozen food. Can be used for natural thawing or using a microwave.
冷凍庫から肉を出して解凍してください。
Please take the meat out of the freezer and defrost it.
電子レンジで解凍する。
Defrost in the microwave.
To express the action of removing built-up ice from a freezer or refrigerator.
The standard term for defrosting a freezer or refrigerator, literally 'frost removal'.
冷凍庫の霜取りをしなければならない。
I have to defrost the freezer.
To express the action of clearing condensation or frost from a car windshield.
Commonly used for defogging or clearing condensation from a windshield. Literally 'remove cloudiness'.
フロントガラスの曇りを取る。
Defog the windshield.
解凍する is specifically for thawing frozen food or items back to a usable state, while 溶かす is for melting solids into liquids (e.g., ice to water, butter). Use 解凍する for defrosting food, and 溶かす for melting ice or frozen liquids.
In English, 'defrost' can refer to both food and car windshields. In Japanese, different expressions are used: 解凍する for food, 霜取り for freezers, and 曇りを取る or 霜を溶かす for windshields. Using 解凍する for a windshield would sound unnatural.
Specifically means to thaw naturally at room temperature, without using heat.
冷凍食品は自然解凍でお召し上がりください。
Please thaw the frozen food naturally before eating.
Means 'to melt' or 'to dissolve'. Can be used for defrosting in the sense of melting ice or frozen items, but is less specific than 解凍する.
冷凍したバターを溶かす。
Melt the frozen butter.
A slightly more casual way to say 'remove frost', often used in conversation.
冷蔵庫の霜を取った。
I defrosted the refrigerator.
Used specifically when melting frost or ice on the windshield, often with a defroster.
車の霜を溶かすのに時間がかかった。
It took time to defrost the car.