Translation guide
How to express improving a skill in Japanese, covering general improvement, mastery, and specific skill areas.
腕を上げたいです。
I want to improve my skills.
日本語が上達しました。
My Japanese has improved.
To say that one's skill or ability is getting better in a general sense.
Literally 'raise one's arm', this is a common idiom meaning to improve one's skill, especially in a craft, sport, or practical ability.
彼は料理の腕を上げた。
He improved his cooking skills.
A standard verb meaning to make progress or improve in a skill, often used for language, sports, arts, etc.
日本語が上達しました。
My Japanese has improved.
A loanword phrase meaning 'skill up', commonly used in business or career contexts.
もっとスキルアップしたいです。
I want to improve my skills more.
Intransitive version of 腕を上げる, focusing on the skill itself improving.
練習のおかげで腕が上がった。
Thanks to practice, my skills improved.
To express becoming very good at something, or refining a skill to a high level.
Literally 'to apply polish', meaning to refine or brush up a skill.
彼女は演技に磨きをかけている。
She is polishing her acting skills.
Combines 'arm' (skill) with 'polish', emphasizing deliberate improvement.
職人は腕に磨きをかける。
The craftsman hones his skills.
Means to master or thoroughly learn something, often used for arts or disciplines.
To talk about getting better at a particular aspect, like speaking, writing, or technique.
Pattern meaning 'to become good at ~'. Replace 〜 with the skill noun.
料理が上手になりたい。
I want to become good at cooking.
Means 'to develop one's ~ ability'. Often used with 語学力 (language ability), 表現力 (expressive ability), etc.
会話力を伸ばしたい。
I want to improve my conversation skills.
腕を上げる is more idiomatic and often implies practical, hands-on skill improvement. 上達する is more general and can be used for any kind of progress in learning.
Avoid directly translating 'improve one's skill' as スキルを改善する (sukiru o kaizen suru). It sounds unnatural. Use the idiomatic expressions above.
彼は書道を極めた。
He mastered calligraphy.