Translation guide
The concept of omission in Japanese often involves leaving out words that are understood from context, rather than using a direct noun equivalent. This guide covers how to express the idea of something being left out, skipped, or omitted, as well as the act of omitting.
Expressing the action of intentionally not including something, such as in a list, text, or process.
The most common and general term for omission, abbreviation, or leaving something out. Used for both deliberate and practical omissions.
詳細は省略します。
I will omit the details.
この部分は省略しても構いません。
You may omit this part.
To skip or leave out, often used when going through a sequence (e.g., skipping a step or a page). More casual than 省略.
その問題は抜かして次に行こう。
Let's skip that problem and move on to the next one.
To omit, leave out, or eliminate something, often to save time or effort. Can imply a more deliberate reduction.
無駄な手順を省いて効率化する。
We will omit unnecessary steps to improve efficiency.
Deletion or removal, often used in digital contexts (e.g., deleting text, files). Stronger than 省略, implies complete removal.
不要な行を削除してください。
Please delete the unnecessary lines.
Describing something that has been left out or is absent, such as a missing word or item.
Passive form of 省略, meaning 'is omitted' or 'has been left out'. Natural for describing a state.
この文では主語が省略されている。
In this sentence, the subject is omitted.
Means 'is missing' or 'has been left out', often used for accidental omissions or gaps.
名簿に私の名前が抜けている。
My name is missing from the list.
A formal term for a missing part, gap, or lacuna. Often used in technical or academic contexts.
Explaining the natural tendency in Japanese to omit subjects, objects, or particles when they are clear from context.
In Japanese, subjects and objects are frequently omitted when they can be inferred. This is not a grammatical error but a feature of natural speech. Overusing pronouns like 私 (わたし) or あなた can sound unnatural or overly emphatic.
Do not assume every English pronoun needs a Japanese equivalent. When in doubt, omit the subject if it's clear from context.
（私は）明日映画を見に行く。
I'm going to see a movie tomorrow. (The 'I' is often omitted.)
A: もう食べた？ B: うん、食べた。
A: Have you eaten already? B: Yeah, I ate. (Subjects and objects omitted.)
In informal Japanese, particles like は, が, and を are often dropped. This is common in conversation but should be avoided in formal writing.
これ、食べる？
You wanna eat this? (Particle を omitted)
省略 (しょうりゃく) is the most general and neutral term for omission. 抜かす (ぬかす) implies skipping over something in a sequence, often casually. 省く (はぶく) suggests eliminating something to streamline or reduce, often with a purpose of efficiency.
English often uses the noun 'omission', but in Japanese it's more natural to use verb phrases like 省略する or 抜けている. Using the noun 省略 is fine in formal contexts, but in everyday speech, describe the action or state instead.
彼の名前が省略されたのは意図的だった。
The omission of his name was intentional.
この報告書にはいくつか抜けている部分がある。
There are several omissions in this report.
データに欠落がある。
There is an omission in the data.