Translation guide
The English word 'dry' covers a wide range of meanings, from lacking moisture to describing humor, wine, or factual writing. This guide organizes the most useful Japanese expressions by meaning, with warnings about common translation mistakes.
Describing something that is not wet, damp, or moist.
The most common adjective for 'dry' when referring to something that has lost moisture, like clothes, hair, or ground. It is the past tense form of the verb 乾く (kawaku), used as an adjective.
乾いたタオルを使ってください。
Please use a dry towel.
洗濯物がもう乾いた。
The laundry is already dry.
Often used for climate, air, or skin, emphasizing a lack of humidity. More formal or technical than 乾いた.
乾燥した空気は肌に悪い。
Dry air is bad for your skin.
A loanword from English, used in compound words like ドライフルーツ (dried fruit) or ドライヤー (hair dryer). It can also describe a 'dry' personality (unemotional).
Describing weather with little rain or low humidity.
The standard term for dry climate or weather. Used in weather forecasts.
今日は乾燥した天気です。
It's dry weather today.
Describing food that lacks moisture, often in a negative sense (e.g., dry bread, dry meat).
An onomatopoeic word describing dry, crumbly, or powdery texture, often used for overcooked food or stale bread.
このパンはパサパサしている。
This bread is dry.
Can be used for food, but パサパサ is more common for texture. 乾いた implies simply lacking moisture.
Describing skin or hair that lacks natural oils or moisture.
Describing something that has completely run out of water.
Used for rivers, lakes, wells, etc., that have dried up completely.
その川は干上がってしまった。
The river has dried up.
Typically used for plants or wells that have dried up or withered. For a well, 枯れ井戸 (kareido) means 'dry well'.
Describing a subtle, ironic, or understated sense of humor.
Literally 'dry taste humor', this is the closest equivalent to 'dry humor'. 辛口 (karakuchi) means dry or sharp in taste, and metaphorically describes a biting, ironic wit.
彼の辛口のユーモアが好きだ。
I like his dry humor.
Describing wine, sake, or other drinks that are not sweet.
Describing writing or speech that is unemotional, factual, or boring.
A set phrase meaning 'dry and tasteless', often used for dull, uninteresting writing or presentations.
彼の講義は無味乾燥だ。
His lectures are dry.
The verb 乾く (kawaku) means 'to dry' (intransitive), but its adjective form 乾いた is mainly for physical moisture. For humor, wine, or writing, use the specific terms above. Using 乾いた for humor would be confusing.
乾いた (kawaita) is everyday 'dry' for things like towels or hair. 乾燥した (kansō shita) is more formal and often used for climate, air, or technical contexts (e.g., dry skin is 乾燥肌).
Dried fruit is a healthy snack.
Describes a prolonged dry spell or drought, often used in agricultural contexts.
日照り続きで作物が枯れた。
The crops withered due to the continued dry weather.
I don't like dry cookies.
The standard term for 'dry skin'. Often used in cosmetics and skincare.
乾燥肌用のクリームを探しています。
I'm looking for a cream for dry skin.
Describes dry, brittle, or frizzy hair. パサパサ is onomatopoeic for a dry, rough texture.
パサパサの髪をどうにかしたい。
I want to do something about my dry hair.
枯れ井戸から水は出ない。
No water comes from the dry well.
The loanword ドライ can describe a person who is unemotional, businesslike, or has a dry sense of humor. It can be positive or negative depending on context.
彼はドライなジョークを言う。
He tells dry jokes.
The standard term for 'dry' when describing alcoholic drinks. Opposite of 甘口 (amakuchi, sweet).
辛口の白ワインをください。
I'd like a dry white wine, please.
Also used for drinks, especially in bar settings. ドライ is common for beer (e.g., ドライビール).
ドライなビールが飲みたい。
I want to drink a dry beer.
Means 'matter-of-fact' or 'unemotional', often used for a detached, dry style of narration.
淡々とした事実の説明だった。
It was a dry explanation of the facts.