Translation guide
The English word 'salvage' covers several distinct ideas: rescuing a ship or its cargo, saving something from a bad situation, reusing waste materials, and in computing, recovering data. This guide organizes the most useful Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To save a vessel, its cargo, or other property from loss at sea.
The standard term for maritime salvage operations. Used in legal and professional contexts.
その会社は海難救助を専門としている。
That company specializes in marine salvage.
Loanword from English, commonly used for ship salvage operations. Often seen in news or technical contexts.
沈没船のサルベージ作業が始まった。
Salvage work on the sunken ship has begun.
Refers to the act of pulling something up, especially a sunken ship or wreckage. More general than 海難救助.
沈没船の引き揚げには多額の費用がかかる。
Salvaging a sunken ship costs a lot of money.
To rescue or recover something valuable from a failure, disaster, or difficult circumstance.
Literally 'rescue out'. Used for saving people or things from danger or a bad situation.
彼は火事の中から家族の写真を救い出した。
He salvaged his family photos from the fire.
Means 'to take back' or 'recover'. Used when regaining something lost, including reputation or trust.
A versatile phrase meaning 'to manage somehow' or 'to do something about it'. Often used when trying to salvage a difficult situation.
状況を何とかしなければならない。
We have to salvage the situation.
Means 'to recover' or 'to regain' (lost ground, position, etc.). Often used in sports or business contexts.
彼は後半で名誉を挽回した。
He salvaged his honor in the second half.
To collect and reuse discarded items or materials, especially from waste.
The standard term for recycling. While not a direct translation of 'salvage', it is the most natural way to express the idea of reusing materials in Japanese.
古い機械から部品をリサイクルしている。
They salvage parts from old machines.
Means 'reuse'. Can be used for salvaging materials or items for a new purpose.
To retrieve data from a corrupted, damaged, or inaccessible storage medium.
The standard term for data recovery. Used in IT and technical contexts.
壊れたハードディスクからデータ復旧を試みた。
They attempted to salvage data from the broken hard disk.
Also used in computing contexts, similar to English 'data salvage'. Less common than データ復旧.
破損したファイルのサルベージは難しい。
Salvaging corrupted files is difficult.
The loanword サルベージ is mainly used for ship salvage or data recovery. For saving a situation or reusing materials, use other expressions like 救い出す or リサイクル.
彼はなんとか面目を取り戻した。
He managed to salvage his reputation.
Refers to the collection of discarded items for reuse or recycling. Often used for community recycling drives.
廃品回収で集めた金属を売る。
They sell metal salvaged from waste collection.
古材を再利用して家具を作る。
They salvage old lumber to make furniture.