Translation guide
The act of making a liquid weaker or less concentrated, or the state of being made weaker. In Japanese, different words are used depending on whether you are talking about physical liquids, figurative weakening, or financial/ownership contexts.
To make a liquid weaker by adding water or another solvent, or the resulting state.
The standard technical and everyday term for diluting a liquid. Used as a noun or with する to mean 'to dilute'.
Please dilute this juice before drinking.
Please follow the dilution ratio.
The most common everyday verb meaning 'to dilute' or 'to thin out' a liquid. Transitive verb.
Please dilute it with water.
The flavor is strong, so let's dilute it a bit.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to become diluted' or 'to thin out'. Used when the liquid becomes weaker on its own or due to external factors.
The soup got diluted by the rain.
Literally 'adding water', often used in contexts of watering down drinks or inflating numbers. Can have a negative connotation of deceptive dilution.
I heard that shop waters down their alcohol.
To make something less strong, pure, or effective, such as an idea, quality, or impact.
Used for abstract dilution, such as the weakening of a concept, identity, or value. Often used in business or social contexts.
Prevent brand dilution.
The dilution of tradition is a concern.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to fade' or 'to become diluted' in a figurative sense, such as memories, feelings, or colors.
General verb meaning 'to weaken'. Can be used when dilution results in reduced strength or impact.
Reduction in existing shareholders' ownership percentage due to issuance of new shares.
希釈 is a noun (can be used with する) and is more formal/technical. 薄める is a casual verb used in daily conversation. For 'dilute the paint', 薄める is more natural than 希釈する in spoken Japanese.
dilute the paint
While 希薄化 is used for abstract dilution, it may sound stiff. In many cases, rephrasing with 弱める or 低下 is more natural. For example, 'dilution of power' is often better as 権力の低下 rather than 権力の希薄化.
decline (dilution) of power
時間とともに記憶が薄れた。
Memories faded (were diluted) over time.
It was a statement that diluted (weakened) the argument.
To avoid dilution of stock value, they refrained from capital increase.