Translation guide
The English word 'raw' covers several distinct meanings: uncooked food, unprocessed materials, inexperienced people, sore skin, and frank emotions. Japanese uses different words for each.
Describing food that is not cooked, such as raw meat, fish, or vegetables.
The most common word for 'raw' in the context of food. Can be used for meat, fish, eggs, etc.
刺身は生の魚です。
Sashimi is raw fish.
I don't like eating raw eggs.
Attributive form of 生, used before nouns. Often interchangeable with 生.
Be careful with raw meat.
Label on food packaging meaning 'for raw consumption', e.g., on oysters or fish intended to be eaten raw.
These oysters are for raw consumption.
Referring to materials in their natural, unrefined state, such as raw data, raw materials, or raw footage.
Also used for unprocessed data, footage, or sound. Often combined with other words.
Analyze the raw data.
Edit the raw footage.
Means 'unprocessed' or 'raw' in a more technical sense, often for materials or data.
Specifically 'raw materials' for manufacturing. Not used for data.
Describing a person who is new, untrained, or lacking experience, like a raw recruit.
Means 'immature' or 'inexperienced'. Can be used for skills or people.
He's still a raw recruit.
A novice or beginner, often used for someone just starting in a profession.
A derogatory term for a greenhorn or inexperienced youth. Slightly old-fashioned.
Describing skin that is red, painful, or abraded, often from friction or cold.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be scraped' or 'to be raw' (skin). Often used for minor injuries.
I fell and my knee is raw.
Onomatopoeic phrase for a stinging or raw sensation, like chafed skin or a sore throat.
My skin feels raw from sunburn.
Noun meaning rough or chapped skin, often from dryness or irritation.
Describing emotions that are intense, exposed, or unfiltered, like raw anger or raw grief.
While 生 (なま) can mean 'raw' for food and data, using it to describe a person (e.g., 生の人) would mean 'live person' or be confusing. Use 未熟 or 駆け出し for inexperience.
He's a raw recruit.
生 (なま) is the most versatile word for 'raw', covering food, data, and materials. 未加工 (みかこう) is more technical and emphasizes 'unprocessed', often used in industrial or data contexts.
raw fish vs. raw materials
未加工の素材を使う。
Use raw materials.
原料を輸入する。
Import raw materials.
駆け出しの記者です。
I'm a raw reporter.
What can such a raw kid do?
冬は肌荒れしやすい。
My skin gets raw easily in winter.
Means 'vivid' or 'raw' in the sense of being fresh and emotionally powerful, often for memories or descriptions.
Raw memories of the war.
剥き出しの感情。
Raw emotions.