Translation guide
The quality of needing immediate action or attention. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through nouns, adjectives, and set phrases that convey a sense of pressing need, emergency, or lack of time.
To describe a situation that requires immediate action or attention, or the feeling that something must be done quickly.
The most common and direct translation for 'urgency' as a noun, often used in formal and official contexts like 'emergency' or 'urgent matter'.
I can't come due to an urgent matter.
Emphasizes the quality or degree of urgency, often used in discussions about priorities or crisis management.
Conveys a sense of imminence or pressing danger, often used for situations that are about to happen or are critically close.
A common phrase meaning 'to require urgency' or 'to be urgent', used as a predicate.
This matter is urgent.
To express the personal feeling of being rushed or under pressure to act quickly.
To describe situations where there is not much time left and action must be taken immediately.
To describe how urgency is conveyed in speech, writing, or requests.
緊急 (kinkyū) refers to the objective state of urgency (emergency), while 焦り (aseri) refers to the subjective feeling of being rushed or flustered. Use 緊急 for situations, 焦り for emotions.
state of emergency
The urgency of the situation forced us to act.
This is a matter that requires urgency.
The urgency of this issue is high.
状況の切迫を感じる。
I feel the urgency of the situation.
Refers to the feeling of impatience or agitation when one feels behind or rushed. Often used for personal emotional states.
I made a mistake out of a sense of urgency (haste).
You could hear the urgency in his voice.
A sense of urgency or impending crisis, often used in psychological or descriptive contexts.
I acted driven by a sense of urgency.
Deal with an urgent problem.
The deadline is pressing (urgent).
A very common and natural way to express urgency in everyday conversation, literally 'there is no time'.
We're short on time, so let's hurry.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'to race against time', used for extremely urgent situations where every moment counts.
It's a situation of extreme urgency.
Refers to tension or urgency in atmosphere or tone, often used for serious, strained situations.
He spoke with an urgent tone.
A prefix meaning 'urgent' or 'express', used for mail, tasks, etc.
I have an urgent matter.
Send an urgent letter.
焦りを感じる
feel a sense of urgency (haste)
The English word 'urgency' does not have a single perfect equivalent in Japanese. Avoid using 緊急性 in casual conversation; it sounds overly formal. In daily speech, rephrase using phrases like 急がないと (we must hurry) or 時間がない (there's no time).
He spoke with a sense of urgency.