Translation guide
The English word 'tank' can refer to a military vehicle, a large container for liquids or gases, or be used as a verb meaning to fail or plummet. This guide covers the most common Japanese equivalents for each meaning.
An armored fighting vehicle with tracks and a large gun.
The standard word for a military tank. Used in news, history, and everyday conversation.
Tanks were driving through the city.
Loanword from English, sometimes used in games or casual contexts, but 戦車 is more common for actual military vehicles.
I control a tank in the game.
A large container for storing or transporting liquids, gases, or other substances.
The most common word for a storage tank, such as a water tank, fuel tank, or fish tank.
The water tank is empty.
I filled up the gas tank.
Specifically a water tank or aquarium. Used for fish tanks or laboratory water tanks.
A water storage tank, often for buildings or emergency use. More technical.
To fail completely, perform very poorly, or drop sharply in value.
Means 'to fail big' or 'to flop'. Natural for describing a project, exam, or performance that tanks.
I tanked the exam.
Used for prices, stocks, or values that plummet or crash. 'Tank' in financial contexts.
The stock price tanked.
Colloquial for a sharp drop or nosedive, often used for ratings, popularity, or performance.
The ratings tanked.
Literally 'to sink', but can metaphorically mean to fail or be defeated, similar to 'tank' in sports or games.
戦車 (sensha) only means a military tank. For a water tank or fuel tank, use タンク (tanku) or 水槽 (suisō).
Japanese does not use タンクする as a verb meaning 'to fail'. Use phrases like 大失敗する or 暴落する instead.
熱帯魚の水槽を掃除した。
I cleaned the tropical fish tank.
ビルの貯水槽を点検する。
Inspect the building's water storage tank.
チームが初戦で沈んだ。
The team tanked in the first game.