Translation guide
The English word "leak" covers physical leaks (liquid/gas), information leaks, and metaphorical leaks. Japanese uses different verbs and nouns depending on what is leaking and how.
To describe a physical leak, such as water, gas, or air escaping from a hole or crack.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to leak out'. Used for liquids, gas, light, etc. escaping unintentionally.
Water is leaking from the water pipe.
Gas is leaking, so please open the windows.
Transitive verb meaning 'to let leak'. Used when someone or something causes a leak.
He carelessly let the gas leak.
Noun meaning 'leak' or 'leakage'. Often used in compound words.
Please be careful of gas leaks.
Loanword from English, used in technical contexts for leaks of fluids or data.
Oil is leaking from this valve.
To describe a leak of confidential information, secrets, or data.
Intransitive verb, also used for information leaking out.
Personal information leaked to the outside.
It seems the exam questions leaked.
Formal verb meaning 'to leak' or 'to disclose' (information). Common in news and business.
Customer data was leaked.
Means 'to flow out', used for large-scale data leaks or information spreading.
Confidential documents leaked onto the internet.
Loanword used for intentional leaks, often by insiders or media.
An insider leaked the information.
To describe something intangible like sound, light, or smell escaping from an enclosed space.
To describe accidentally showing an emotion, such as a sigh, laugh, or tear.
漏れる (intransitive) is the most common for 'leak' in everyday speech. 漏らす (transitive) is used when someone causes a leak. 漏洩する is formal and mainly for information leaks in news or business contexts.
リーク is a loanword mainly for intentional information leaks or technical fluid leaks. Using it for a dripping faucet sounds unnatural; use 漏れる instead.
According to what I've overheard, he's apparently quitting.
She let out a small laugh.
Tears spilled from her eyes.