Translation guide
How to express the idea of managing with limited resources, passing through, or being acceptable in Japanese.
To cope or survive with what one has, often financially.
A very common way to say 'get by' meaning to manage or make ends meet. Implies effort but success in coping.
今の給料でなんとかやっていける。
I can get by on my current salary.
Literally 'manage to live', used for getting by in daily life, often with financial nuance.
年金だけでどうにか暮らしていける。
I can get by on just my pension.
Means to manage or make do, often by budgeting or being resourceful. Focuses on the act of managing.
少ない収入でやりくりしている。
I'm getting by on a small income.
Literally 'connect eating', meaning to barely get by, especially in terms of food or survival. Stronger nuance of hardship.
彼らはわずかな食料で食いつないだ。
They got by on very little food.
To physically move past something or someone, often with difficulty.
To pass through a narrow space or crowd. Common for physical 'get by'.
すみません、通してください。
Excuse me, can I get by?
人が多くて通り抜けられない。
There are too many people; I can't get by.
To slip through or squeeze past, often implying a tight fit or sneaking by.
To pass by the side of something. More literal and less common for 'get by'.
車の脇を通ってください。
Please get by the car.
To be just good enough to be accepted or not noticed as bad.
Means 'to be somehow forgiven/accepted'. Used when something is borderline but passes.
この出来ならなんとか許されるだろう。
This quality will probably get by.
To be accepted or valid; often used for language skills, excuses, or standards.
片言の日本語でもなんとか通用した。
Even my broken Japanese got by.
Literally 'so-so', used to say something is passable. Casual.
彼の英語はまあまあだね。
His English gets by, I guess.
To escape notice or pass without being caught.
To be overlooked or not noticed. Passive form of '見逃す' (to overlook).
小さなミスは見逃された。
The small mistake got by unnoticed.
To get away without being found out. 'ばれる' means to be exposed.
嘘がばれずに済んだ。
The lie got by without being discovered.
Also used metaphorically to slip through a system or check.
Both mean 'somehow' and are often interchangeable. なんとか is slightly more common in spoken Japanese, while どうにか can sound a bit more formal or literary. In 'get by' phrases, なんとかやっていく is the most natural everyday expression.
なんとかやっていく
get by (casual/common)
どうにか暮らしていく
get by (slightly formal)
Do not translate 'get by' literally as 得る (eru) + によって (ni yotte). This makes no sense in Japanese. Always use the phrases provided.
彼は警備員の横をすり抜けた。
He got by the guard.
検閲をすり抜ける。
To get by the censors.