Translation guide
The English word 'purge' covers several distinct meanings: removing unwanted things/people, political cleansing, medical emptying, and data deletion. Japanese uses different words for each.
To get rid of something undesirable, such as clutter, impurities, or unwanted individuals from a group.
Means 'to sweep away' or 'to eliminate completely'. Used for clearing out undesirable things or people from a place or organization.
会社は不正を一掃した。
The company purged corruption.
Means 'to expel' or 'to banish'. Often used for removing people from an organization or country.
党は反対派を追放した。
The party purged the dissidents.
Specifically refers to a political purge, often with violent or severe connotations. Stronger than 追放.
独裁者は政敵を粛清した。
The dictator purged his political enemies.
To remove people from a political party or government, often for ideological reasons.
The noun form meaning 'purge' in a political context. Often used in historical or dramatic contexts.
スターリンの大粛清は多くの犠牲者を出した。
Stalin's Great Purge caused many victims.
Expulsion from a group, less violent than 粛清. Can be used for political or organizational contexts.
To induce bowel movements, often with laxatives, for medical reasons.
Literally 'to wash the intestines'. A common medical term for bowel cleansing.
大腸検査の前に腸を洗浄する必要がある。
You need to purge your bowels before a colonoscopy.
A laxative. The noun form, often used in medical contexts.
医者は下剤を処方した。
The doctor prescribed a purge.
To permanently remove digital data, often to free up space or for security.
General term for 'delete'. Used for files, emails, records, etc.
古いメールを削除した。
I purged old emails.
Means 'to erase' or 'to wipe'. Often used for completely removing data, sometimes with security implications.
ハードディスクのデータを完全に消去した。
I completely purged the hard drive data.
To rid oneself of negative emotions, memories, or spiritual impurities.
Means 'to purify'. Used for spiritual or emotional cleansing, as well as physical purification.
瞑想で心を浄化する。
I purge my mind through meditation.
Literally 'to spit out'. Used metaphorically for venting emotions or confessing.
彼は怒りを吐き出した。
He purged his anger.
Do not use 'パージする' (pāji suru) for most meanings. It is a loanword mainly used in IT contexts (e.g., purging cache) and sounds unnatural elsewhere.
一掃 is for sweeping away undesirable elements (e.g., crime, corruption). 粛清 is specifically for political purges and implies severity or violence.
汚職議員の追放が求められた。
The expulsion of corrupt politicians was demanded.