Translation guide
How to express 'eat up' in Japanese, covering finishing food, consuming resources, and figurative uses.
To eat all of the food, leaving nothing behind.
The most common and neutral way to say 'eat it all up'. Works in most situations.
ご飯を全部食べなさい。
Eat up all your rice.
彼は一人でケーキを全部食べた。
He ate up the whole cake by himself.
To use up resources like money, time, or energy.
To accept something eagerly, such as praise, attention, or a story.
Directly translating 'eat up' as '食べ上がる' or '食べアップ' is incorrect. Use the phrases provided depending on context.
食べ上がる
Incorrect literal translation
Emphasizes completely finishing the food, often with a sense of accomplishment or difficulty.
こんなにたくさんは食べ切れない。
I can't eat up this much.
彼は大盛りのラーメンを食べ切った。
He ate up a large bowl of ramen.
A more vivid, slightly casual way to say 'eat up completely', often implying devouring food quickly.
彼はあっという間に料理を平らげた。
He ate up the meal in no time.
Literally 'eat up exhaustively', used for consuming resources or devouring food completely.
そのプロジェクトは予算を食い尽くした。
The project ate up the budget.
バッタが作物を食い尽くした。
The locusts ate up the crops.
A formal, general term for 'consume', suitable for resources, energy, or time.
このアプリはバッテリーを大量に消費する。
This app eats up a lot of battery.
Used when time or money is 'taken up' by something, often with a nuance of being deprived.
通勤に時間を取られる。
Commuting eats up my time.
To take something seriously or believe it completely, often used when someone is gullible.
彼はその冗談を真に受けた。
He ate up that joke (believed it was true).
To accept something gladly, like praise or attention.
彼女は称賛を喜んで受け入れた。
She ate up the praise.