Translation guide
To start fresh by forgetting past mistakes or problems.
To begin again without considering previous issues or debts.
Literally 'let it flow away in the water'. A common idiom for forgiving and forgetting past troubles.
過去のことは水に流そう。
Let's wipe the slate clean regarding the past.
Literally 'cancel an account'. Used for clearing debts or nullifying past obligations, often figuratively.
借金を帳消しにしてもらった。
They wiped the slate clean of my debt.
From English 'reset'. Used in casual contexts for starting over, like resetting a relationship or situation.
関係をリセットしたい。
I want to wipe the slate clean in our relationship.
Literally 'make it an abacus reset'. An old-fashioned phrase meaning to cancel everything and start over.
これまでのことはご破算にして、新しく始めよう。
Let's wipe the slate clean of everything so far and start anew.
水に流す is emotional/relational (forgiving and moving on), while 帳消しにする often implies a concrete cancellation of debts or obligations. リセットする is casual and modern, often used for relationships or situations.
喧嘩のことは水に流して、また友達になろう。
Let's wipe the slate clean of that fight and be friends again.
その借金は帳消しになった。
That debt was wiped clean.