Translation guide
The act of releasing someone or something from confinement, restraint, or obligation. In Japanese, the most natural expression depends on what is being freed and the context.
To set a person free from prison, kidnapping, or physical restraint.
They set the prisoner free.
Specifically used for legal release from custody or prison. More formal than 解放する.
彼は証拠不十分で釈放された。
He was released due to insufficient evidence.
Literally 'to make free'. A more casual, everyday way to say 'set free'. Often used for animals or in less formal contexts.
捕まえた鳥を自由にした。
I set the bird I caught free.
To set an animal free, such as a pet or a wild animal caught in a trap.
To let an animal go, to release it. Commonly used for setting free a caught animal or releasing a pet into the wild.
釣った魚を逃がした。
I released the fish I caught.
かごから鳥を逃がしてあげた。
I set the bird free from the cage.
To let go, release. Can be used for animals or people, but for animals it often implies releasing from one's grasp.
Also works for animals, especially in casual speech.
犬を鎖から自由にした。
I set the dog free from its chain.
To release a person from a duty, promise, debt, or emotional burden.
Can also be used metaphorically for freeing someone from obligations, stress, or restrictions.
その仕事から解放された。
I was freed from that work.
ストレスから解放されたい。
I want to be free from stress.
To exempt someone from an obligation, duty, or payment. More formal and specific to rules or requirements.
彼は授業料を免除された。
He was exempted from tuition fees.
In the sense of releasing from a promise or informal obligation, but less common for formal duties.
約束から自由にしてあげる。
I'll release you from your promise.
To free oneself or someone else from emotional ties, grudges, or attachments.
Used for emotional liberation, freeing oneself from negative feelings.
過去のトラウマから自分を解放する。
Free yourself from past trauma.
To let go of something, often used for possessions, but also for emotions or attachments. Implies a conscious decision to release.
怒りを手放す。
Let go of anger.
解放する is the most general term for setting free, covering people, animals, and abstract concepts. 釈放する is strictly legal and formal, used only for release from custody. 逃がす is specifically for letting an animal or person escape, often implying they were caught or trapped.
The English phrase 'set free' does not have a single direct equivalent in Japanese. Using セットフリーする is not natural. Choose the appropriate verb based on context.
I let the bug I caught go.