Translation guide
The controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. In Japanese, this is expressed through specific nouns and verbs depending on whether it refers to wartime/food rationing, general allocation, or limiting consumption.
To refer to government-controlled distribution of limited supplies, especially food, fuel, or daily necessities during war or crisis.
The standard term for rationing of goods or food by authorities. Often used in historical contexts (e.g., WWII) or disaster situations.
戦時中は食料の配給が行われていた。
During the war, food rationing was carried out.
配給制度が終了した。
The rationing system ended.
Refers specifically to the rationing system or regime.
配給制のもとで生活するのは大変だった。
Living under the rationing system was tough.
Ration tickets or coupons used to obtain rationed goods.
配給切符で米を受け取った。
I received rice with ration tickets.
To describe the act of distributing a finite amount of something (time, money, space) among people or uses.
Allocation, assignment, or quota. Used for distributing tasks, budgets, or resources. Not limited to emergency contexts.
予算の割り当てが少なすぎる。
The budget allocation is too small.
各部署に作業を割り当てる。
Assign tasks to each department.
Distribution or apportionment, often with a sense of fair sharing. Used for dividing resources among recipients.
Similar to 割り当て, but often implies scheduling or assigning time slots or duties.
To express the idea of voluntarily restricting how much one uses or consumes something.
To economize, save, or cut down on usage. Commonly used for saving money, electricity, water, etc.
電気を節約するために早く寝る。
I go to bed early to save electricity.
食費を節約している。
I'm cutting down on food expenses.
To restrict or limit. More formal and can be used for rules or self-imposed limits.
糖分の摂取を制限している。
I'm limiting my sugar intake.
To refrain from, hold back, or moderate. Often used for abstaining from something for health or discipline.
配給 implies an authority distributing scarce goods. For personal saving or cutting back, use 節約 or 制限.
割り当て focuses on assigning a fixed amount to each person/group (like a quota), while 配分 emphasizes the act of dividing and handing out. In many business contexts they overlap.
オイルショックの時、ガソリンの配給制が導入された。
Rationing of gasoline was introduced during the oil crisis.
水の供給を慎重に割り当てる必要がある。
We need to ration our water supply carefully.
利益の配分を決める。
Decide the distribution of profits.
シフトの割り振りを確認する。
Check the shift assignments.
酒を控えている。
I'm cutting back on alcohol.