Translation guide
The quality of being careful with money and resources, avoiding waste. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through words emphasizing thrift, simplicity, and avoiding extravagance, often with positive moral connotations.
Describing a lifestyle or habit of saving money and avoiding waste in daily life.
The most common and neutral term for saving money or resources, often used in everyday contexts like household budgeting.
He is mindful of saving money.
I'm trying to save on utility bills.
Similar to 節約 but often implies a more disciplined, sometimes stricter approach to thrift. Can carry a slightly old-fashioned or virtuous nuance.
My mother is thrifty and doesn't waste money.
Literally 'eliminate waste', this phrase focuses on cutting unnecessary expenses or actions.
Let's cut waste and keep living costs down.
Emphasizing a lifestyle that avoids luxury and excess, often for philosophical or personal reasons.
Describes a simple, plain, and frugal lifestyle. Often has positive connotations of modesty and lack of ostentation.
He leads a simple, frugal life.
My motto is 'simple living and thrift'.
An adjective meaning thrifty, frugal, or economical, often implying a humble and careful management of resources.
Literally 'living within one's means/stature', this phrase emphasizes living according to one's income and not beyond.
When frugality becomes miserly or cheap, often criticized.
A common, slightly colloquial term for stingy or miserly. Can be used as a noun or adjective.
Can be insulting; use carefully.
He's so stingy, he never treats anyone.
A formal, literary term for stinginess or miserliness. Not used in casual conversation.
節約 is the most common word for saving money or resources in daily life. 倹約 implies a more principled, sometimes stricter thriftiness, and is often used in compound words like 倹約家 (thrifty person). 節約 is more neutral and widely applicable.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches the English 'frugality' in all contexts. Choose the term based on whether you mean general saving (節約), simple living (質素), or negative stinginess (けち).
They live a frugal life.
Let's try to live within our means.
I'm disgusted by his miserliness.