オイル
Meanings
General oil, especially mineral oil or petroleum-related oil. In everyday Japanese, 油 or 石油 may be more specific depending on context.
Oil leaked from the tanker into the sea.
Cooking oil in recipes and product names, especially in compounds such as オリーブオイル and サラダオイル. The native word 油 is also very common.
Add a little oil to the frying pan and sauté the garlic.
massage oil; body oil; oil-based ointment
Oil used on the skin for massage, beauty care, or treatment; may refer to an oil-like ointment in context.
Before the massage, oil was applied to my back.
Limited use for kerosene or oil fuel, often in compounds such as オイルストーブ. For ordinary kerosene in Japan, 灯油 is the more direct word.
They were using an old kerosene stove at the mountain hut.
engine oil; motor oil
Automotive and mechanical use, commonly seen as エンジンオイル or simply オイル when the vehicle context is clear.
I changed the car's engine oil.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉にオイルを差すto apply oil to something (e.g. a machine part)
I oiled the chain.
- オイルで揚げるto deep-fry in oil
I quickly deep-fried the vegetables in oil.
- オイルを塗るto rub oil onto the skin
I rubbed oil on my skin and gave myself a massage.
- オイルが漏れるfor oil to leak (from an engine or machine)
Oil is leaking from the car's engine.