Translation guide
The English word 'drying' can refer to the process of removing moisture from something, or the state of becoming dry. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 乾燥 (kansō), but other words and phrases are used depending on what is being dried and how.
Expressing the act of removing moisture or the state of becoming dry, in a general sense.
The most common and versatile word for 'drying'. Can be used as a noun or a suru-verb (乾燥する). Applies to air, skin, food, laundry, etc.
空気が乾燥している。
The air is dry.
洗濯物を乾燥させる。
I dry the laundry.
Specifically means to hang something out to dry, typically laundry or food. A transitive verb.
洗濯物を外に干す。
I hang the laundry outside to dry.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to become dry'. Used when something dries on its own.
洗濯物が乾いた。
The laundry has dried.
Referring to the process of drying food to preserve it.
Also used for food drying, often in compound words like 乾燥食品 (dried food).
果物を乾燥させて保存する。
I dry fruit to preserve it.
Specifically refers to dried fish or other seafood, a common preserved food in Japan.
Using a machine to dry something, like a clothes dryer or hair dryer.
A drying machine. Often used in compounds like 衣類乾燥機 (clothes dryer) or 髪乾燥機 (hair dryer, though ドライヤー is more common).
乾燥機で洗濯物を乾かす。
I dry the laundry with a dryer.
Hair dryer. Loanword from English, very common.
When a river, well, or other water source dries up.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to dry up' (completely), often used for rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
日照りで川が干上がった。
The river dried up due to drought.
Also means 'to dry up', but more literary and often used for wells or springs. Can also mean 'to wither' for plants.
乾燥 (kansō) is a general noun/suru-verb for drying. 干す (hosu) specifically means to hang something out to dry, like laundry. 乾かす (kawakasu) is the transitive verb 'to dry something' (e.g., with a dryer). 乾く (kawaku) is intransitive 'to become dry'.
乾く (kawaku) means 'to dry' in general. 渇く (kawaku) means 'to be thirsty' (throat). They are homophones but written with different kanji.
Dried fish is a traditional preserved food in Japan.
I dry my hair with a hair dryer.
The well dried up.