Translation guide
The English verb "organize" covers several distinct meanings: arranging things neatly, planning events, forming groups, and structuring information. Japanese uses different verbs for each.
Arrange physical items neatly or put a space in order.
The most common verb for tidying up a room, desk, or belongings. Transitive.
I organized my room.
Please organize your desk.
To sort and put in order, often with the nuance of discarding unnecessary items. More systematic than 片付ける.
I organized the bookshelf.
To arrange neatly, often used in formal contexts like workplace organization. Emphasizes orderliness.
Please organize the tools.
Arrange and coordinate an event, meeting, or trip.
To plan or organize an event, project, or activity. Common for parties, conferences, and campaigns.
I'm organizing a party.
I like organizing trips.
To prepare or make arrangements for something. Often used when the focus is on the practical preparations.
I'm organizing the meeting.
To host or sponsor an event. Used when someone is the official organizer or host.
He organized the event.
Bring people together for a common purpose, such as a union or campaign.
Arrange thoughts, data, or content in a logical way.
To sort out or organize information, ideas, or data. Can also mean to put one's thoughts in order.
Please organize the information.
I want to organize my thoughts.
To compile, summarize, or bring together into a coherent whole. Often used for documents, ideas, or opinions.
Manage time, tasks, or personal affairs efficiently.
To manage one's schedule. A natural way to express organizing time.
I want to organize my schedule better.
To get one's life in order. Used for lifestyle organization, including habits and routines.
It's important to organize your life.
片付ける focuses on putting things away and making a space look tidy. 整理する implies sorting, categorizing, and often discarding unnecessary items. For physical spaces, 片付ける is more common in daily conversation.
Tidy up the room (routine cleaning)
Organize the bookshelf (discard unneeded books)
組織する means to form an organization or structured group. Using it for physical tidying would sound very unnatural.
Incorrect: 'organize a room' using 組織する
レポートをまとめる。
Organize a report.