Translation guide
The English word 'neglecting' covers a range of meanings from failing to care for someone or something, to ignoring duties, to simply not paying attention. Japanese uses different words depending on what is being neglected and the nuance of the neglect.
When someone fails to provide necessary care, attention, or maintenance, leading to harm or deterioration.
He's neglecting the garden, and the weeds are overgrown.
If you neglect the problem, it'll get worse.
Means to neglect a duty or responsibility through laziness or carelessness. Often used for tasks, studies, or obligations.
He neglected his work and got fired.
If you neglect your health, you're more likely to get sick.
A casual, spoken word meaning to leave something unattended or neglected, often with a nuance of abandonment. Stronger than 放置する.
It's terrible to neglect your kids and go off to have fun.
Loanword from English, used specifically in social welfare or psychological contexts for child neglect or elder neglect.
Child neglect is a serious social problem.
When you deliberately or inadvertently fail to notice, consider, or pay attention to something.
To ignore, disregard, or neglect to take notice of something. Often implies a conscious decision to not pay attention.
He neglected my advice. (He ignored it.)
You must not neglect traffic rules.
To overlook, pass over, or neglect to notice something, often unintentionally. Can also mean to turn a blind eye.
To neglect or treat something as unimportant, to give something scant attention. Often used for duties or important matters.
When someone omits or fails to perform an expected action, often due to forgetfulness or carelessness.
Literally 'forget to do', this is the most natural way to express neglecting to do a specific action in everyday Japanese.
I neglected to lock the door. (I forgot to lock it.)
I neglected to call him. (I forgot to call him.)
To leave something undone, to neglect to do something and let the situation remain. Emphasizes the state of inaction.
As above, but here it emphasizes the failure to perform a specific action that is one's duty.
放置する is about leaving something unattended, often physical objects or situations. 怠る is about failing to fulfill a duty or responsibility due to negligence. 無視する is about actively ignoring something, often information or people. Choose based on whether the neglect is passive inaction (放置する), negligent omission (怠る), or active disregard (無視する).
English 'neglect' can often be translated directly as 放置する or 怠る, but in many cases, a more natural Japanese expression uses 〜するのを忘れる (forget to do) or 〜しない (simply not doing). Overusing 放置する for personal actions can sound unnatural.
小さなミスを見過ごしてしまった。
I neglected to notice the small mistake.
He neglects his family and only focuses on work.
I neglected to do my homework and got scolded by the teacher.
彼は注意を怠って事故を起こした。
He neglected to pay attention and caused an accident.