Translation guide
The English word 'brace' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: preparing for impact, supporting something physically, a dental device, and the punctuation mark. Less common meanings like a pair of game birds or a carpenter's tool are omitted.
To physically or mentally prepare oneself for something difficult, unpleasant, or impactful.
Literally 'to set one's body', used when physically bracing for a hit, shock, or sudden movement.
彼はパンチに備えて身構えた。
He braced himself for the punch.
To mentally prepare or resolve oneself for something difficult, often used for bad news or hardship.
悪い知らせを聞く覚悟をしてくれ。
Brace yourself for some bad news.
To prepare for something in advance. Can be used for bracing for natural disasters, emergencies, etc.
地震に備えてください。
Brace for earthquakes.
To plant one's feet firmly and resist force; physically brace oneself against a push or pull.
強風に吹き飛ばされないように踏ん張った。
I braced myself against the strong wind so I wouldn't be blown away.
To make something stronger or more rigid by adding support.
To reinforce or strengthen a structure. Common for buildings, furniture, etc.
壁を補強して倒壊を防いだ。
They braced the wall to prevent it from collapsing.
To put in a prop or brace. More specific than 補強する.
棚がたわまないように支柱を入れた。
I braced the shelf so it wouldn't sag.
To fix or secure in place. Used when bracing something to prevent movement.
揺れないように机を固定した。
I braced the desk so it wouldn't shake.
An orthodontic device used to straighten teeth.
Formal term for orthodontic braces. Often shortened in conversation.
歯列矯正装置をつけている。
I wear braces.
Short for 歯列矯正装置. Commonly used in everyday speech.
矯正装置が痛い。
My braces hurt.
Loanword from English, understood but less common than 矯正装置.
The curly bracket symbols used in writing and programming.
Standard term for curly braces { }. Used in both general writing and programming contexts.
コードブロックは中括弧で囲みます。
Code blocks are enclosed in braces.
Literally 'wave brackets', another common term for curly braces.
Loanword used in some technical contexts, but 括弧 terms are more standard.
The English word 'brace' is sometimes mistakenly thought to mean 'embrace' (hug). In Japanese, 'embrace' is 抱擁する (ほうようする) or 抱きしめる (だきしめる). These are unrelated to 'brace'.
身構える is physical bracing (e.g., for a tackle), while 覚悟する is mental/emotional preparation (e.g., for bad news). Use 身構える for physical readiness and 覚悟する for psychological readiness.
彼はボールに備えて身構えた。
He braced himself for the ball.
彼女は結果を聞く覚悟をした。
She braced herself to hear the results.
ブレースを外した。
I got my braces off.
波括弧を閉じ忘れないで。
Don't forget to close the brace.
このブレースは不要です。
This brace is unnecessary.