Translation guide
The English verb 'eliminate' covers removing, getting rid of, or excluding something. Japanese uses different words depending on what is being eliminated and how.
To completely remove something undesirable, such as a problem, obstacle, or waste.
General term for physically or abstractly removing something unwanted. Works for obstacles, dirt, doubts, etc.
障害を取り除く必要がある。
We need to eliminate the obstacles.
不安を取り除く方法を教えてください。
Please tell me how to eliminate anxiety.
Formal, often used in technical or medical contexts for removing harmful substances or elements.
有害物質を除去するフィルター。
A filter that eliminates harmful substances.
To sweep away or eliminate completely, often used for crime, corruption, or pests.
政府は汚職を一掃すると約束した。
The government promised to eliminate corruption.
To take someone or something out of a group, list, or competition.
To exclude or leave out from a group, list, or consideration. Common in rules, selections, and competitions.
彼は反則で試合から除外された。
He was eliminated from the match due to a foul.
このデータは分析から除外してください。
Please eliminate this data from the analysis.
Casual, often used in competitions or selections to mean 'drop' or 'cut' someone.
To exclude or shut out, often with a nuance of actively keeping something out. Can sound strong.
その意見は議論から排除された。
That opinion was eliminated from the discussion.
To kill someone, often in a planned or systematic way, or to eradicate pests.
Direct word for 'kill'. Can be used for people or animals, but may be blunt.
敵を一人残らず殺せ。
Eliminate every last enemy.
Euphemistic or slang for 'eliminate' in the sense of killing or erasing someone's existence. Common in crime contexts.
口封じに証人を消した。
They eliminated the witness to keep him quiet.
To exterminate pests or vermin. Not used for people.
ゴキブリを駆除する方法を調べている。
I'm looking up ways to eliminate cockroaches.
To cut out unnecessary things, especially in business or processes.
To omit, leave out, or cut something unnecessary. Common in efficiency contexts.
無駄な手間を省く工夫が必要だ。
We need ideas to eliminate wasted effort.
To reduce or cut down, often used for costs, budgets, or numbers.
経費を削減するために会議を減らした。
We reduced meetings to eliminate expenses.
To remove a variable from an equation or system.
Technical term in mathematics for eliminating a variable.
この方程式からxを消去してください。
Please eliminate x from this equation.
The English 'eliminate' is often translated directly as エリミネートする in katakana, but this is unnatural in most contexts. Use the appropriate Japanese verb instead.
取り除く is the everyday word for removing something unwanted. 除去する is more formal and often used in technical, medical, or official documents.
Three people were eliminated in the final selection.