Translation guide
The English word "full" covers several distinct concepts: being filled to capacity, being complete or whole, being satiated after eating, and being plump or ample. This guide organizes natural Japanese expressions by these core meanings.
Expressing that a container, room, or schedule has no empty space or time left.
The most common and versatile word for 'full'. Can be used for containers, rooms, schedules, and more. Often used with だ/です or as an adverb with に.
The glass is full of water.
Today's schedule is full.
Specifically means 'full of people', used for venues, vehicles, etc. Often used in 満員電車 (crowded train).
The venue was full (of people).
This train is full.
Literally 'full cup', but used more broadly for containers being full to the brim. Slightly more formal or emphatic than いっぱい.
The bucket became full.
Pattern meaning 'full of ~'. Attach to a noun with で.
The room is full of books.
Expressing that something is not lacking any part; the maximum amount or extent.
Means 'complete' or 'perfect'. Used as a na-adjective. For 'full' in the sense of 'full set' or 'full recovery', this is natural.
A full recovery takes time.
I bought the full set.
Prefix meaning 'all', 'whole', 'full'. Attach to nouns: 全世界 (the whole world), 全速力 (full speed).
Adverb meaning 'whole', 'entirely', often used for eating something whole or using something in its entirety.
Loanword from English, used in compounds like フルタイム (full-time), フルスピード (full speed). Casual.
Expressing that one's stomach is full after a meal.
The standard phrase for 'I'm full' (stomach is full). Polite and natural.
I'm already full.
A more formal or written word for 'full stomach'. Often used in 満腹感 (feeling of fullness).
More casual and masculine version of お腹がいっぱい. Used among friends.
Describing something that is round, thick, or abundant in shape or volume.
Onomatopoeic word for soft, plump fullness, often used for cheeks, bread, cushions. Positive connotation.
The bread baked up nice and plump.
Adverb meaning 'ample', 'plenty', 'full'. Used for volume, time, quantity. たっぷりの as an adjective.
Means 'rich', 'abundant', often used for hair, nature, imagination. For 'full' as in 'full hair' or 'full flavor', this works.
She has full, rich hair.
Loanword 'volume' used to mean 'full-bodied' or 'voluminous', especially for hair, food, sound.
A full skirt.
While いっぱい can be used for schedules, directly translating 'My schedule is full' as スケジュールがいっぱい is natural. However, for 'fully booked', 予約でいっぱい is better than フルブッキング.
We are fully booked this week.
いっぱい is the general term for 'full'. 満杯 emphasizes being filled to the brim (containers). 満員 is exclusively for spaces full of people. Use 満席 for seats being full.
Please read the full text.
魚をまるごと食べた。
I ate the fish whole (the full fish).
I work full-time.
満腹で動けない。
I'm so full I can't move.
I ate my fill.
たっぷりのクリームがのったケーキ。
A cake with a generous amount of cream.
We have plenty of time.