Translation guide
The English word "leak" covers physical leaks (liquid/gas), information leaks, and metaphorical leaks. Japanese uses different verbs and nouns depending on what is leaking and how.
To describe a physical leak, such as water, gas, or air escaping from a hole or crack.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to leak out'. Used for liquids, gas, light, etc. escaping unintentionally.
水道管から水が漏れている。
Water is leaking from the water pipe.
ガスが漏れているので、窓を開けてください。
Gas is leaking, so please open the windows.
Transitive verb meaning 'to let leak'. Used when someone or something causes a leak.
彼はうっかりガスを漏らしてしまった。
He carelessly let the gas leak.
Noun meaning 'leak' or 'leakage'. Often used in compound words.
ガス漏れに注意してください。
Please be careful of gas leaks.
Loanword from English, used in technical contexts for leaks of fluids or data.
このバルブからオイルがリークしている。
Oil is leaking from this valve.
To describe a leak of confidential information, secrets, or data.
Intransitive verb, also used for information leaking out.
個人情報が外部に漏れた。
Personal information leaked to the outside.
試験の問題が漏れたらしい。
It seems the exam questions leaked.
Formal verb meaning 'to leak' or 'to disclose' (information). Common in news and business.
顧客データが漏洩した。
Customer data was leaked.
Means 'to flow out', used for large-scale data leaks or information spreading.
機密文書がインターネット上に流出した。
Confidential documents leaked onto the internet.
Loanword used for intentional leaks, often by insiders or media.
内部関係者が情報をリークした。
An insider leaked the information.
To describe something intangible like sound, light, or smell escaping from an enclosed space.
Used broadly for sound, light, smell, etc. escaping.
隣の部屋から音楽が漏れてくる。
Music is leaking from the next room.
カーテンの隙間から光が漏れている。
Light is leaking through a gap in the curtains.
Literary expression meaning 'to overhear' or 'to leak to one's ears'.
漏れ聞こえる話によると、彼は辞めるらしい。
According to what I've overheard, he's apparently quitting.
To describe accidentally showing an emotion, such as a sigh, laugh, or tear.
Transitive verb used for letting out a voice, sigh, laugh, etc. unintentionally.
彼は思わずため息を漏らした。
He let out a sigh involuntarily.
彼女は小さく笑いを漏らした。
She let out a small laugh.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to spill' or 'to escape', used for tears or smiles.
漏れる (intransitive) is the most common for 'leak' in everyday speech. 漏らす (transitive) is used when someone causes a leak. 漏洩する is formal and mainly for information leaks in news or business contexts.
リーク is a loanword mainly for intentional information leaks or technical fluid leaks. Using it for a dripping faucet sounds unnatural; use 漏れる instead.
Tears spilled from her eyes.