Translation guide
The concept of leakage covers physical leaks of liquids or gases, as well as abstract leaks of information, secrets, or resources. Japanese uses different words depending on what is leaking and the context.
Describing a leak of water, gas, oil, etc., from a container, pipe, or system.
General noun for leakage, often used in technical or everyday contexts for liquids or gases.
A gas leak occurred.
Formal or technical term for leakage, often used in official reports or news about gas, chemicals, or data.
Loanword from English 'leak', used in technical contexts like engineering or IT, but less common for physical leaks than 漏れ.
Referring to the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, secrets, or personal data.
Describing the loss or wasteful outflow of funds, revenue, or economic value.
Referring to unintended escape or loss in technical or abstract domains like physics, computing, or psychology.
General term that can be applied to memory leaks in computing, light leaks in photography, etc.
漏れ (もれ) is the most general and neutral term for any kind of leak. 漏洩 (ろうえい) is formal and often used for information or hazardous substances. 流出 (りゅうしゅつ) emphasizes outward flow and is common for data or capital. リーク is a loanword often used for intentional media leaks or technical IT leaks.
The English word 'leakage' is often translated as 漏れ or 漏洩, but the choice depends heavily on context. Using the wrong term can sound unnatural. For example, 'water leakage' is 水漏れ, not 水漏洩.
Water is leaking from the water pipe.
化学物質の漏洩が確認された。
A leakage of chemical substances was confirmed.
Oil is leaking from the valve.
The standard term for information leaks, data breaches, or disclosure of secrets. Used in news and business.
The leakage of personal information became a problem.
Prevent the leakage of corporate secrets.
Often used for large-scale leaks or when data 'flows out' to the public, e.g., leaked documents or videos.
Confidential documents were leaked onto the internet.
Commonly used for intentional leaks to the media, often with a nuance of whistleblowing or strategic disclosure.
A whistleblower leaked the information.
Alternate kanji form of 漏洩, sometimes used in legal or official documents.
Strengthen measures against information leakage.
Used for capital flight, brain drain, or any resource draining out of a system.
Capital is leaking out of the country.
Can be used metaphorically for small losses or inefficiencies, like revenue leakage.
Prevent revenue leakage.
A memory leak occurred.
A design that prevents light leakage.
Often used as part of compound terms like メモリリーク (memory leak) in IT.
This app is prone to memory leaks.