Translation guide
To consume or expend something completely so that nothing remains. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for using up resources, money, energy, time, and supplies.
To use all of a resource such as money, fuel, food, or supplies until none is left.
The most common and versatile verb for using something up completely. It emphasizes finishing the use of a resource.
I've used up this month's budget.
Let's refuel before we use up all the gas.
Similar to 使い切る but with a stronger nuance of depleting something entirely, often with a sense of exhaustion or finality.
I've used up all my savings.
More formal and often used in economic or technical contexts. Means 'to consume' rather than just 'use up'.
This factory consumes a huge amount of electricity.
To spend all available time or physical/mental energy on something.
Directly means 'to use up time'. Natural when talking about allocated time.
I used up all the exam time and reviewed my answers.
To exhaust one's physical strength. 使い果たす emphasizes complete depletion.
To spend or expend time, effort, or money, often with a nuance of sacrifice or investment. More formal.
To emphasize that absolutely nothing remains, often with a sense of waste or regret.
To spend all available money, often with a negative connotation.
使い切る is the most neutral and common. 使い果たす emphasizes exhaustion or finality, often with a negative nuance. 使い尽くす implies using every last bit, sometimes with a sense of thoroughness or waste.
I used up the gas. (neutral)
I exhausted my strength. (finality)
Use up resources completely. (thoroughness)
Simply saying 使うだけ (just use) does not convey the meaning of complete consumption. Use compound verbs like 使い切る instead.
I used up all my energy climbing the mountain.
彼は研究に多くの時間を費やした。
He spent a lot of time on his research.
We must not use up all our resources.
Being jobless, I'm eating up my savings.