Translation guide
The English word 'dump' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: discarding waste, a messy place, ending a relationship, and data transfer. Each meaning has its own natural Japanese expressions.
To throw away trash, unwanted items, or dispose of something carelessly.
General verb for 'throw away' or 'discard'. Can be used for physical objects and abstract things like habits.
Formal term for 'dumping' or 'disposal', often used in legal or environmental contexts (e.g., illegal dumping).
不法投棄は犯罪です。
Illegal dumping is a crime.
Means 'dispose of' or 'scrap'. Used for industrial waste, documents, or equipment.
産業廃棄物を廃棄する。
Dispose of industrial waste.
Casual phrase for littering or tossing something carelessly. 'ポイ' is onomatopoeia for a light toss.
タバコをポイ捨てしないで。
Don't dump your cigarette butts.
Describing a location that is untidy, run-down, or generally unpleasant.
Literally 'trash pile', used figuratively for a very messy or dirty place. Strongly negative.
この部屋はゴミ溜めだ。
This room is a dump.
Simple phrase meaning 'dirty place'. Less intense than ゴミ溜め.
あのアパートは汚い場所だった。
That apartment was a dump.
Colloquial for a run-down house or shack. Emphasizes dilapidation rather than just dirtiness.
彼はボロ屋に住んでいる。
He lives in a dump.
To break up with someone, often abruptly or unilaterally.
Standard verb for 'to dump' someone in a romantic context. The person being dumped is marked with を.
General verb for 'break up' or 'separate'. Can be mutual or one-sided. Use with と for the partner.
Literally 'throw away', used metaphorically for heartlessly dumping someone. Strong and harsh.
Very blunt; can sound cruel. Use only in informal, strong contexts.
In computing, to copy data from one place to another, especially for backup or analysis.
Loanword from English 'dump', used as a suru-verb in IT contexts. Refers to memory dumps, database dumps, etc.
メモリをダンプする。
Dump the memory.
データベースをダンプしてバックアップを取る。
Dump the database and make a backup.
General verb for 'output' data. Can be used for dumping to a file or screen.
ログをファイルに出力する。
Dump the log to a file.
Means 'write out' or 'extract' data. Used when dumping specific content from memory or storage.
The loanword ダンプ (danpu) is only used in technical computing contexts or for 'dump truck' (ダンプカー). It does not mean a garbage dump or a messy room.
この部屋はダンプだ。
This room is a dump. (INCORRECT)
捨てる (throw away) used for people is very harsh and implies treating someone like trash. 振る is the standard casual verb for dumping a romantic partner. 別れる is more neutral and can be mutual.
彼と別れた。
I broke up with him. (I dumped him.)
あいつ、彼女を捨てたんだ。
That guy dumped his girlfriend.
Dump the contents of the register.