Translation guide
The English verb "postpone" means to delay an event or action to a later time. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 延期する (enki suru), but other expressions like 先送りする (sakiokuri suru) or 後回しにする (atomawashi ni suru) are used depending on context. This guide covers natural ways to express postponement in various situations.
We postponed the meeting to next week.
The trip has been postponed.
Literally 'to extend/stretch', used for delaying deadlines or appointments. More casual than 延期する.
Could you postpone the deadline?
To put off until later, often with a nuance of procrastination or kicking the can down the road. Common in business or political contexts.
We must not postpone solving the problem.
To put something off and do it later, often implying lower priority. Used for tasks or chores.
I put off cleaning and watched TV.
To put off making a decision or taking action, often temporarily.
To procrastinate or keep putting something off. Often used for unpleasant tasks or decisions.
I'm postponing the decision.
To postpone or pass on something for now, often with the nuance of waiting for a better time. Used for plans, purchases, or proposals.
To carry over to the next term/session; used for unresolved matters in meetings or official contexts.
To defer a payment, deadline, or duty to a later date.
To put off doing something, often due to laziness or lack of motivation.
The most common way to say 'procrastinate' in everyday speech.
I put off my homework and played games.
To dawdle or procrastinate, often implying hesitation or laziness.
Stop postponing it and do it quickly.
延期する is the safest, most neutral choice for rescheduling events. 延ばす is more casual and often used for deadlines or personal schedules. 先送りする implies a negative nuance of avoiding a problem or decision, similar to 'kicking the can down the road'.
While ポストポーンする is sometimes used in IT contexts (e.g., postponing a task in project management), it is not natural in general Japanese. Stick to the expressions above.
Can we postpone our meeting?
I keep postponing my dentist appointment.
The event was postponed due to rain.
新製品の発売は見送られた。
The launch of the new product was postponed.
その議題は次回に持ち越された。
That agenda item was postponed to the next meeting.
You cannot postpone your credit card payment.