Translation guide
The act of completely destroying or killing a group of living things, especially pests or enemies. In Japanese, the most common and versatile word is 駆除 (kujo), used for pest control. For total annihilation, especially in war or metaphorically, 絶滅 (zetsumetsu) is used. Other terms have specific contexts like fumigation or eradication.
To eliminate insects, rodents, or other unwanted creatures from a place.
The standard term for pest extermination. Used for insects, rats, etc. Often seen on signs and in services.
I'd like to request cockroach extermination.
This spray is effective for pest extermination.
Often used for exterminating pests in a more casual or heroic sense, like 'slaying' monsters or pests. Common in product names.
Technical term for pest control, often used in agriculture or public health. Implies prevention and control rather than just elimination.
To wipe out an entire species, group, or population, often in a dramatic or total sense.
To exterminate pests using gas or chemicals, often in a sealed environment.
The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.
駆除 is the standard, neutral term for pest control, often used in official or commercial contexts. 退治 has a more active, almost heroic nuance, like 'slaying' pests, and is common in everyday speech and product names (e.g., ゴキブリ退治).
I called an exterminator.
I bought some ant extermination poison.
Pest control measures are necessary.
Means extinction or total annihilation. Used for species, but also metaphorically for wiping out enemies or ideas.
The species is on the verge of extermination.
We intend to exterminate the enemy.
Eradication, rooting out completely. Often used for diseases, social evils, or deeply entrenched problems.
Smallpox has been exterminated.
Military term for annihilation, wiping out enemy forces completely. Strong and somewhat literary.
They annihilated the enemy army.
Fumigation. Specifically refers to extermination by gas or smoke. Used for warehouses, ships, or agricultural products.
Imported timber requires fumigation treatment.
Gas fumigation. More specific than 燻蒸, emphasizing the use of gas.
Exterminate termites by gas fumigation.
Massacre, slaughter. Often used for brutal killing of many people.
The extermination of the inhabitants was carried out.
Genocide or mass extermination. Literally 'large-scale massacre'.
That is a history of extermination.
Specifically refers to the Holocaust. Used as a loanword.
Holocaust survivor
自分でネズミ退治をした。
I exterminated the rats myself.
Do not use 絶滅 for common pest extermination. 絶滅 implies total extinction of a species, which sounds overly dramatic for household pests. Use 駆除 instead.
to exterminate cockroaches (sounds like wiping out the entire species)
to exterminate cockroaches (natural)