Translation guide
The English phrase "dig up" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses for learners: physically excavating something from the ground, discovering information through investigation, and the informal sense of finding or obtaining something. It also touches on related agricultural and metaphorical uses.
To remove something from the ground by digging, such as soil, plants, or buried objects.
Literally 'dig out'. Used for unearthing objects like treasure, potatoes, or fossils.
彼らは庭から古い壺を掘り出した。
They dug up an old pot from the garden.
Means 'dig up and raise'. Often used for uprooting plants, stumps, or turning over soil.
農家は畑を掘り起こしてジャガイモを収穫した。
The farmer dug up the field and harvested potatoes.
General verb 'to dig'. Can mean 'dig up' when context implies extraction, but often needs a compound verb or object to clarify.
By itself, 掘る simply means 'dig'. To explicitly mean 'dig up', use 掘り出す or 掘り起こす.
犬が庭に穴を掘って骨を埋めた。
The dog dug a hole in the yard and buried a bone.
To discover facts, secrets, or evidence through investigation or research.
Means 'to expose' or 'to disclose'. Used for revealing hidden truths, scandals, or secrets.
記者は政治家の汚職を暴いた。
The journalist dug up corruption by the politician.
Means 'to find out' or 'to ferret out'. Emphasizes the investigative process.
Metaphorical extension of 'dig up'. Used for unearthing old records, memories, or forgotten facts.
To find, get, or produce something, often with effort or from an unlikely source. Informal usage.
Means 'to find out' or 'to track down'. Suitable for finding people, things, or information after searching.
彼はどこからか古いバイクを見つけ出してきた。
He dug up an old motorcycle from somewhere.
Literally 'pull out'. Used for bringing out something stored away or forgotten, like old clothes or memories.
To break up and turn over soil, often for planting or preparation.
Means 'to till' or 'to cultivate'. The standard term for digging up soil in farming or gardening.
春に畑を耕して野菜を植える。
In spring, we dig up the field and plant vegetables.
Means 'to dig up and turn over' or 'to re-dig'. Often used for turning soil or digging up an area that was previously dug.
Both mean 'dig up', but 掘り出す focuses on extracting an object from the ground (e.g., treasure, potatoes), while 掘り起こす emphasizes the action of digging and raising something, often used for uprooting plants or turning soil. 掘り起こす can also be used metaphorically for unearthing information.
Avoid directly translating 'dig up' as 掘る in all contexts. For discovering information, use 暴く or 探り出す. For finding something casually, 見つけ出す or 引っ張り出す are more natural.
あの会社について情報を探り出す必要がある。
I need to dig up some information about that company.
彼らはパイプを修理するために道路を掘り返した。
They dug up the road to repair the pipes.
探偵は事件の真相を探り出した。
The detective dug up the truth about the case.
歴史家は古文書を掘り起こして新事実を発見した。
The historian dug up old documents and discovered new facts.
押し入れから昔のアルバムを引っ張り出した。
I dug up an old photo album from the closet.
Means 'to scrape together' or 'to gather up'. Used when collecting money, people, or resources with difficulty.
彼はなんとか資金をかき集めて事業を始めた。
He managed to dig up some funds and started a business.
庭の土を掘り返して花壇を作った。
I dug up the garden soil and made a flower bed.