Translation guide
The English word 'precipitate' has several distinct meanings: as a verb, it can mean to cause something to happen suddenly or unexpectedly, or to cause a substance to separate from a solution; as an adjective, it means done hastily without careful thought; and in chemistry, it can be a noun referring to the solid formed. This guide covers the most common uses for learners.
To make something happen, especially something bad, sooner than expected or suddenly.
A general verb meaning 'to cause' or 'to bring about', often used for events, problems, or crises.
その発言が混乱を引き起こした。
The remark precipitated chaos.
Means 'to trigger' or 'to induce', often used for medical conditions or chain reactions.
ストレスが病気を誘発することがある。
Stress can precipitate illness.
Literally 'to become the trigger', used when something serves as the catalyst for an event.
その事件が戦争のきっかけとなった。
The incident precipitated the war.
Describing an action or decision made too quickly without enough thought.
A na-adjective meaning 'rash', 'thoughtless', or 'imprudent'. Commonly used for actions or judgments.
軽率な判断をしてしまった。
I made a precipitate decision.
The past tense of 早まる (to be hasty), often used attributively to mean 'premature' or 'hasty'.
早まった行動は避けるべきだ。
You should avoid precipitate actions.
A na-adjective meaning 'impatient' or 'hasty', often used in formal or written contexts.
性急な結論を出すな。
Don't jump to a precipitate conclusion.
In chemistry, to cause a solid to separate from a solution.
The standard transitive verb meaning 'to precipitate' (a solid from a liquid).
溶液に試薬を加えて沈殿させた。
We added a reagent to precipitate the solid.
Means 'to separate out' or 'to deposit', used for crystallization or precipitation.
冷却によって結晶を析出させる。
Cooling precipitates the crystals.
The solid substance that forms in a chemical reaction.
The standard noun for 'precipitate' (the solid).
試験管の底に白い沈殿物が見える。
A white precipitate is visible at the bottom of the test tube.
Refers to a substance that has separated out, often used in metallurgy or crystallization.
この合金には析出物が含まれている。
This alloy contains precipitates.
To condense and fall as rain, snow, etc. (intransitive).
A technical term meaning 'to precipitate' as rain or snow. Rarely used in everyday conversation.
水蒸気が凝結して降水する。
Water vapor condenses and precipitates.
English 'precipitate' in the sense of 'cause to happen suddenly' does not have a single perfect Japanese equivalent. Using 沈殿させる (chemistry) for this meaning would be completely wrong. Choose 引き起こす or 誘発する based on context.
軽率な emphasizes thoughtlessness or imprudence, while 早まった focuses on the timing being too early. 軽率な is more common for describing a person's character or a decision, whereas 早まった is often used for actions that turned out badly because they were rushed.