Translation guide
The English word 'load' has many meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: putting things onto a vehicle or into a device, a heavy amount, a burden, and technical uses like computer loading or electrical load.
load a truck
load a webpage
a heavy load (burden)
To put items, cargo, or people onto a truck, ship, animal, or person for transport.
General verb for loading cargo, luggage, or goods onto a vehicle, ship, or animal. Can also mean to pile up or stack.
I loaded the truck with packages.
They load containers onto the ship.
To place something onto a surface or vehicle, often with care. Used for loading smaller items or people onto a vehicle, or putting something on a table.
To load cargo into a vehicle or container, emphasizing the action of putting inside. Common in logistics contexts.
To insert film, bullets, software, or other items into a device so it can be used.
General verb for putting something into a container or device. Used for loading film, batteries, CDs, etc.
A large quantity of something that is carried, or a difficult responsibility or worry.
Physical load, luggage, baggage, or cargo. Can also refer to a burden in a figurative sense.
To transfer data or a program from storage into memory, or to open a file or webpage.
The amount of power drawn by an electrical device or circuit.
Electrical load or burden. Used in engineering and everyday contexts for power consumption.
A large amount or number of things, often used in casual speech.
積む (tsumu) is for loading cargo in a stacked or piled manner, often into a truck bed or ship hold. 載せる (noseru) is for placing something onto a surface or vehicle, often with care, and can be used for people or smaller items. 積む implies a larger quantity or stacking.
Load cargo onto a truck (stacking).
I loaded the suitcase into the car.
倉庫からトラックに商品を積み込んだ。
We loaded the goods from the warehouse onto the truck.
I loaded the film into the camera.
Please load paper into the printer.
Formal/technical term for loading ammunition into a gun or film into a camera. Often used in manuals or military contexts.
He loaded the gun with bullets.
To set or load something into a device, often used for software, discs, or settings. Casual and common.
I loaded the game software.
I carried a heavy load up the stairs.
Burden, load, strain (often financial, mental, or physical). Used for responsibilities, stress, or costs.
That job became a heavy load for him.
I want to reduce the financial load on the household.
Heavy load or burden, often emotional or psychological. More literary than 負担.
The responsibility feels like a heavy load.
Load capacity or payload, used in technical contexts for vehicles, elevators, etc.
This truck's maximum load is 5 tons.
To load or read data into a computer or program. Standard term for loading files, web pages, etc.
The app is loading data.
It takes time to load the page.
Loanword from English, commonly used in gaming and casual tech contexts. Often interchangeable with 読み込む.
Load the game.
To start up or boot a program or system. Implies loading and initializing. Not exactly 'load' but used in similar contexts.
Load (start) the software.
この回路は大きな負荷に耐えられない。
This circuit can't handle a large load.
Power consumption, often used when talking about the load a device places on the electrical system.
The air conditioner has a large electrical load.
Many, a lot. The most common way to express a large quantity. Not a direct translation of 'load' but conveys the idea in phrases like 'a load of work'.
I have a load of things to do.
Loads, piles (literally 'mountain-like amount'). Emphasizes a large quantity.
I have loads of homework.
Put a book on the desk (not 'load').
The loanword ロード (roodo) is only used for computing contexts (loading data, games). For physical loading of cargo, use 積む or 載せる. Using ロード for physical loading will sound unnatural.