Translation guide
The English verb 'relax' covers both physical and mental states, as well as the action of making something less tense. In Japanese, different words are used depending on whether you mean 'to rest', 'to loosen up mentally', 'to ease rules', or 'to calm down'. This guide organizes the most useful expressions for learners.
I want to relax at home.
Relax! (calm down)
Expressing that you are taking it easy, resting your body or mind, often in a leisurely way.
The most common word for relaxing at home or in a comfortable place. Implies feeling at ease and unhurried.
I relaxed at home.
To take it easy, without hurry or stress. Often used for a relaxed pace or atmosphere.
I relaxed all day today.
A loanword from English, commonly used for both mental and physical relaxation. Slightly more modern/casual feel.
I relaxed by listening to music.
To rest, take a break. More about resting from work or activity than 'unwinding'.
Telling someone to calm down, not be so tense, or to ease their mind.
Directly borrowed from English, very common in casual speech to tell someone to relax mentally.
Making regulations, standards, or discipline less strict.
To become less alert or careful, often with negative consequences.
To let one's guard down, relax one's attention. Often used in warnings.
I relaxed in the bath.
I like relaxing at home on my days off.
温泉でのんびりしたい。
I want to relax in a hot spring.
Let's relax for a bit.
Don't be nervous, relax.
Means 'calm down' or 'compose yourself'. Used when someone is agitated, nervous, or panicking.
Relax, take a deep breath.
Literally 'make your mind easy'. Used to tell someone to not overthink or worry.
Relax and have fun.
Literally 'take the strength out of your shoulders'. A figurative way to say 'relax, don't be so tense'.
Relax and speak naturally.
To loosen, relax (rules, grip, tension). Transitive verb.
Relax the rules.
To ease, mitigate, relax (restrictions, tensions). More formal.
Relax regulations.
If you relax your attention, you'll make a mistake.
To be off one's guard, be careless. Stronger nuance of negligence.
You must not relax your guard.
relax in the park
relax with a massage
While リラックスする is common for personal relaxation, it is not used for relaxing rules or restrictions. Use 緩める or 緩和する instead.
Relax your shoulders.