Translation guide
The English word 'resource' covers a wide range of meanings, from natural resources and financial assets to personal qualities and information sources. Japanese uses different words depending on the type of resource. This guide helps you choose the right expression for each context.
Referring to materials or substances found in nature that are valuable to humans.
The standard word for natural resources, including energy, minerals, water, and forests. Used in economic, environmental, and political contexts.
日本は天然資源が乏しい。
Japan is poor in natural resources.
水資源の管理が重要だ。
Management of water resources is important.
Referring to money or assets available for a purpose.
Funds, capital, or financial resources. Used for business, projects, or personal finance.
新しいプロジェクトのための資金を集めている。
We are raising funds for the new project.
資金不足で計画が中止になった。
The plan was canceled due to lack of funds.
Financial resources, revenue sources. Often used in government or organizational budgeting.
Referring to people as a resource, especially in business or organizational contexts.
Human resources, talented people. Focuses on the quality and skills of individuals.
優秀な人材を採用したい。
We want to hire talented human resources.
人材育成に力を入れている。
We focus on human resource development.
Referring to books, websites, data, or other sources of information.
Information source. Used for any medium that provides information.
インターネットは貴重な情報源だ。
The internet is a valuable information resource.
この本は良い情報源になる。
This book is a good resource.
Materials, documents, resources. Often used for physical or digital reference materials in research or study.
Referring to inner qualities or capacities a person can draw on.
Strength, power, ability. Often used in phrases like 'inner resources' or 'mental resources'.
彼は内なる力を信じていた。
He believed in his inner resources.
What one has at hand (skills, qualities). A more descriptive way to say 'resources' in a personal context.
今ある資源を最大限に活用しよう。
Let's make the most of the resources we have now.
Referring to the quality of being resourceful.
Referring to hardware or software capabilities in IT.
Katakana loanword for computing resources. Widely used in IT contexts.
サーバーのリソースが不足している。
The server is running low on resources.
Can also be used for computing resources, but リソース is more common in technical contexts.
The English word 'resource' is very broad. Directly translating it as 資源 (しげん) in all contexts will sound unnatural. For example, 'human resources' is usually 人材 (じんざい), not 人的資源 (じんてきしげん) in everyday business Japanese. Always consider the specific type of resource you mean.
資源 (しげん) is for natural or material resources. 資金 (しきん) is for money/funds. 人材 (じんざい) is for talented people. Using the wrong one can cause confusion.
政府は新たな財源を確保する必要がある。
The government needs to secure new financial resources.
Human resources (literal translation). More formal and academic than 人材. Often used in economics or management theory.
人的資源の有効活用が求められる。
Effective utilization of human resources is required.
I gathered resources at the library.
Adaptability, playing it by ear. Acting resourcefully according to circumstances.
臨機応変に対応する能力が求められる。
The ability to respond resourcefully is required.
Use system resources efficiently.