Translation guide
The English word 'rescue' covers saving someone from danger, freeing someone from a bad situation, and salvaging something from failure. Japanese uses different words depending on what is being rescued and from what.
To save a person or animal from a life-threatening situation, such as an accident, disaster, or attack.
The most common and general word for rescuing someone from danger. Used for accidents, disasters, and emergencies.
消防士が火事から家族を救助した。
The firefighters rescued a family from the fire.
山で遭難した登山者を救助する。
Rescue stranded climbers on the mountain.
Emphasizes pulling someone out of a dangerous place. Often used when extracting people from collapsed buildings, vehicles, or confined spaces.
がれきの下から生存者を救出した。
They rescued survivors from under the rubble.
A general word for 'help' or 'save'. Can be used for rescue, but is broader and less formal. Suitable for everyday situations.
溺れている人を助けた。
I rescued a drowning person.
To save someone from a difficult, oppressive, or unpleasant non-physical situation, such as poverty, a bad relationship, or a boring event.
Used for saving someone from abstract or emotional distress, such as despair, loneliness, or a miserable situation. Can also be used for physical rescue but often carries a deeper, emotional nuance.
彼の言葉が私を救った。
His words rescued me.
貧困から子供たちを救う。
Rescue children from poverty.
Literally 'help out', implying extraction from a bad situation. Can be used for both physical and non-physical contexts.
To prevent a situation, plan, or object from failing completely; to save something from being ruined or lost.
Used for financial rescue, bailouts, or salvaging a failing project. Often appears in economic or organizational contexts.
政府が銀行を救済した。
The government rescued the banks.
To rebuild or turn around a failing situation. Often used for businesses, projects, or personal lives.
彼は倒産しかけた会社を立て直した。
He rescued the company from bankruptcy.
A casual phrase meaning 'to manage somehow' or 'to do something about it'. Can be used when you salvage a difficult situation through effort.
ピンチをなんとかした。
I rescued the situation.
To save an animal from a shelter, abusive home, or the streets by adopting or fostering it.
Means 'to protect' or 'to take into custody'. Commonly used for animal rescue, especially by shelters or individuals taking in stray or abandoned animals.
保護犬を引き取った。
I adopted a rescue dog.
To become a foster parent for an animal. Implies taking in an animal in need, often from a rescue organization.
保護猫の里親になった。
I became a foster parent for a rescue cat.
救助 (きゅうじょ) is the standard term for emergency rescue operations. 救出 (きゅうしゅつ) emphasizes extraction from a confined or dangerous location. 救う (すくう) is broader and often used for emotional or spiritual rescue.
救助隊が到着した。
The rescue team arrived.
エレベーターから救出された。
They were rescued from the elevator.
その音楽が私の心を救った。
That music rescued my soul.
The loanword レスキュー is mainly used in compound terms like レスキュー隊 (rescue squad) or レスキュー犬 (rescue dog). Using it as a verb (レスキューする) is possible but sounds casual and less natural than native Japanese words in most contexts.
彼女を不幸な結婚から助け出した。
He rescued her from an unhappy marriage.