Translation guide
The English verb "repress" has two main meanings: to suppress a feeling or desire, and to use force to control a group of people. The Japanese expressions differ significantly between these meanings.
To hold back an emotion, urge, or thought, often unconsciously.
General verb meaning to suppress, restrain, or hold back. Can be used for emotions, desires, and physical actions.
To subdue or put down a rebellion, dissent, or political movement by force.
Standard term for political or military repression, often by authorities.
政府は反対派を弾圧した。
The government repressed the opposition.
抑える is the everyday word for holding back feelings. 抑圧する is heavier and often implies unconscious repression, as in Freudian psychology. Use 抑える for most situations.
彼は怒りを抑えた。
He repressed his anger.
彼女は幼少期の記憶を抑圧している。
She is repressing childhood memories.
抑える means to hold back or restrain, not to violently suppress a group. For political repression, use 弾圧する or 鎮圧する.
I struggled to repress my anger.
彼は笑いを抑えられなかった。
He couldn't repress his laughter.
Stronger, more formal term often used in psychology for repression of memories or deep-seated emotions.
彼女は辛い記憶を抑圧している。
She is repressing painful memories.
Literally 'push and kill', used for forcefully suppressing emotions or voice, often with a nuance of enduring.
彼は感情を押し殺して話した。
He spoke while repressing his emotions.
To hold down or suppress strongly, often with a physical or forceful nuance. Can be used for emotions but less common.
不安を抑えつけようとした。
I tried to repress my anxiety.
Freedom of speech was repressed.
To suppress or quell a riot, uprising, or disturbance, often by police or military force.
警察が暴動を鎮圧した。
The police repressed the riot.
Can also be used for political repression, but less common than 弾圧. Often implies systematic oppression.
少数派が抑圧されている。
Minorities are being repressed.