Translation guide
Describes something temporary, improvised, or used as a substitute because the proper thing is not available. Japanese expresses this through adjectives, nouns, and verbs that emphasize urgency, substitution, or rough-and-ready solutions.
Describing something used temporarily because the proper thing is unavailable, often with a sense of being rough or hastily put together.
A noun meaning a stopgap or makeshift. Often used in the phrase 間に合わせの〜 to modify another noun. Implies something done to meet an immediate need, not necessarily of high quality.
This is a makeshift tool.
It worked somehow with a makeshift repair.
A noun meaning a temporary measure or stopgap, often used in urgent situations. Slightly more formal than 間に合わせ.
That's just a makeshift measure.
A prefix meaning temporary or provisional. Attaches to nouns to indicate something makeshift, like 仮住まい (temporary housing) or 仮設 (temporary construction).
We spent the night in a makeshift tent.
A noun meaning something made from whatever is on hand. Often used for meals or objects assembled from available materials.
I cooked with makeshift ingredients.
Focusing on the action of creating a makeshift solution or managing with what's available.
A verb meaning to make do with something or to manage with a substitute. Often used when you use an imperfect item to get by.
Please make do with this for now.
A verb phrase meaning to tide over an emergency or to cope with a crisis temporarily. More urgent than 間に合わせる.
Literally 'to do a place-avoidance', meaning to improvise on the spot without a long-term plan. Often carries a negative nuance of a patch-up job.
間に合わせ is a general term for a makeshift item or action, often neutral. 急場しのぎ emphasizes urgency and is more about coping with a crisis. Use 急場しのぎ when the situation is pressing.
I used a makeshift umbrella.
As a makeshift, I put on a plastic bag.
English 'makeshift' is often translated directly as メイクシフト, but this is not natural Japanese. Use the expressions above instead.
We built a makeshift shelter.
It's just a makeshift solution.
I made do with old tools.
We made a makeshift fix to get through the crisis.
A makeshift response won't solve the problem.