Translation guide
The English word "preserve" covers several distinct ideas: keeping something in its original state, protecting from harm, maintaining traditions, and preparing food to last. Japanese uses different words for each meaning, and direct translation often fails.
To keep something as it is, without change or decay, often over time.
General term for preserving objects, data, or conditions. Neutral and widely used.
データを保存してください。
Please save the data.
This painting has been preserved in good condition.
Focuses on maintaining a state or condition, often with effort. Used for health, peace, standards.
健康を維持するために運動している。
I exercise to preserve my health.
To keep or maintain a state. Often intransitive or used with を. Common in set phrases.
室温を一定に保つ。
Keep the room temperature constant.
To keep safe from damage, destruction, or disappearance.
To protect or conserve, often used for nature, cultural assets, or vulnerable things.
自然環境を保護しなければならない。
We must preserve the natural environment.
この地域の伝統的な建物を保護する活動がある。
There is a movement to preserve the traditional buildings in this area.
To protect or defend. More general and often used in everyday speech.
To keep cultural practices, knowledge, or heritage alive.
To pass down traditions, folklore, or skills through generations.
この村では古い祭りが伝承されている。
In this village, an old festival has been preserved (passed down).
To inherit and carry on traditions, often with a sense of active continuation.
伝統文化を継承する若者が増えている。
More young people are preserving (inheriting) traditional culture.
Also used for preserving intangible heritage, but less specific than 伝承.
古い方言を保存するプロジェクト。
A project to preserve an old dialect.
To treat food so it lasts a long time without spoiling.
General term for food preservation, including refrigeration, canning, drying.
肉を塩漬けにして保存する。
Preserve meat by salting it.
Specifically for pickling in salt, vinegar, miso, etc. Very common for vegetables.
きゅうりをぬか漬けにする。
Preserve cucumbers in rice bran paste.
Technical term for processed food preservation. Used in food industry contexts.
この食品は加工保存されている。
This food has been processed for preservation.
To keep a natural area or species in its existing state, free from human damage.
Specifically for environmental conservation, maintaining ecosystems.
湿地を保全する取り組み。
Efforts to preserve wetlands.
Also used for wildlife protection, but broader.
絶滅危惧種を保護する。
Preserve endangered species.
保存 is for tangible things or data. For abstract states, use 維持する or 守る.
平和を維持する
preserve peace
保存 = keep as is (objects, data). 保護 = protect from harm (people, nature, culture). 保全 = maintain ecosystem integrity (environmental).
私たちは文化遺産を保護しなければならない。
We must preserve our cultural heritage.
肉を塩で保存する。
Preserve the meat in salt.
Keep a promise. (lit. preserve a promise)