Translation guide
How to express compensating for a mistake, shortcoming, loss, or absence in Japanese, organized by what is being made up for.
To atone for an error or make amends for something you did wrong.
A general, natural way to say you will compensate for a mistake or inconvenience, often by doing something extra.
遅刻の埋め合わせに、昼食をおごります。
To make up for being late, I'll treat you to lunch.
To atone or make amends, often with a sense of moral compensation. Used for serious mistakes or sins.
彼は自分の過ちを償うために一生懸命働いた。
He worked hard to make up for his mistake.
Literally 'can be recovered', used in negative form to say something cannot be made up for.
Often used in the negative: 取り返しがつかない (cannot be undone/made up for).
この失敗は取り返しがつかない。
This mistake cannot be made up for.
To offset something missing or insufficient, such as lack of experience, lost time, or a disadvantage.
To supplement or compensate for a lack or deficiency. Very common and versatile.
経験不足を努力で補う。
Make up for lack of experience with effort.
彼女は身長の低さをスピードで補っている。
She makes up for her short height with speed.
Loanword from English 'cover', used casually to mean compensating for a weakness or covering for someone.
彼のミスをチームでカバーした。
The team made up for his mistake.
To do something to compensate for time away from someone or something.
To catch up or make up for a delay. Used for work, studies, or schedules.
休んだ分の遅れを取り戻さなければならない。
I have to make up for the time I missed.
Also used for making up for an absence by doing something nice later.
昨日来られなかった埋め合わせに、今日は早く来た。
To make up for not being able to come yesterday, I came early today.
To provide something good that compensates for previous suffering or inconvenience.
To be rewarded or compensated, often used when effort or suffering finally pays off.
苦労が報われた。
My hard work was made up for (I was rewarded).
Literally 'to wipe the slate clean', used figuratively to mean making up for a past debt or grievance.
今回の成功で前回の失敗を帳消しにしよう。
Let's make up for the last failure with this success.
補う (おぎなう) is for supplementing a lack or deficiency (skill, ability, resource). 埋め合わせる (うめあわせる) is for compensating a loss or inconvenience (time, money, emotional gap). 埋め合わせ is often used with する (をする) as a noun phrase.
資金不足を寄付で補う。
Make up for the lack of funds with donations.
遅刻の埋め合わせにプレゼントをあげた。
I gave a present to make up for being late.
The English phrase 'make up for' cannot be directly translated word-for-word. Avoid literal translations like 作る上げるため (つくるあげるため). Use the appropriate Japanese expression based on context.
どうやって私のミスを埋め合わせればいいですか？
How can I make up for my mistake?
彼女は経験不足を熱意で補おうとした。
She tried to make up for her lack of experience with enthusiasm.
失った時間を取り戻さないといけない。
We need to make up for lost time.
To make up for a loss or deficit, often used for time, money, or emotional gaps.
失った時間を埋め合わせるのは難しい。
It's hard to make up for lost time.