Translation guide
The movement of something (liquid, money, people, etc.) out of a place or system. Japanese expressions depend on what is flowing out and the context.
To describe water, air, or other fluids moving outward from a container, pipe, or area.
General term for outflow of liquids, gases, or even abstract things like information. Used in technical and everyday contexts.
パイプから水が流出している。
Water is flowing out of the pipe.
化学物質の流出が環境に影響を与えた。
The outflow of chemical substances affected the environment.
Verb form: to flow out, to leak out. Often used in news about oil spills or data leaks.
タンクから油が流出した。
Oil flowed out from the tank.
Drainage, outflow of waste water. Common in plumbing and environmental contexts.
工場の排水が川に流れ込んでいる。
The factory's outflow is flowing into the river.
Outflow volume/rate. Technical term used in engineering or hydrology.
ダムの流出量を調整する。
Adjust the outflow rate of the dam.
To describe financial outflows, such as capital flight or spending.
Same word as for liquids, but commonly used for capital, funds, or assets leaving a country or market.
海外への資本流出が続いている。
Capital outflow to foreign countries continues.
Specifically 'fund outflow'. Common in economic news.
その政策は資金流出を招いた。
That policy caused an outflow of funds.
Casual, everyday expression for money going out (spending or outflow).
毎月たくさんのお金が出ていく。
A lot of money flows out every month.
To describe emigration, employee turnover, or population movement out of an area.
Used for population outflow, brain drain, etc. Often paired with 人口 (population) or 人材 (human resources).
地方から都市への人口流出が問題だ。
The outflow of population from rural areas to cities is a problem.
Plain way to say people are leaving. Suitable for casual conversation.
この町から若い人がどんどん出ていっている。
Young people are steadily flowing out of this town.
Specifically 'brain drain' or outflow of talented workers.
会社の人材流出を防ぐ対策が必要だ。
Measures to prevent the outflow of talent from the company are necessary.
To describe the leaking or dissemination of information, data, or cultural elements.
Commonly used for data leaks, information outflow. Often in news about security breaches.
個人情報の流出が発覚した。
An outflow of personal information was discovered.
Leakage, especially of secrets or confidential information. More formal than 流出 in some contexts.
In many natural Japanese sentences, the concept of outflow is expressed with verbs like 出る (to go out), 流れ出る (to flow out), or 漏れる (to leak) rather than the noun 流出. Use 流出 when you need a formal or technical noun.
機密情報の漏洩を防ぐ。
Prevent the outflow of confidential information.