Translation guide
The English verb 'wipe' covers cleaning, drying, removing, and erasing. Japanese uses different verbs depending on the object, tool, and motion. This guide organizes the most common ways to express 'wipe' naturally.
To clean a flat surface by rubbing with a cloth, sponge, etc.
The most general verb for wiping a surface with a cloth or tissue. Used for tables, floors, windows, etc.
Please wipe the table.
床を雑巾で拭いた。
I wiped the floor with a rag.
Emphasizes wiping something off completely, often used for spills or stains.
こぼした牛乳を拭き取った。
I wiped up the spilled milk.
Formal term for cleaning, including wiping. Used in professional or official contexts.
スタッフがテーブルを清掃します。
The staff will wipe the tables.
To remove moisture by rubbing with a towel or cloth.
Also used for drying by wiping. The object and context make the meaning clear.
手をタオルで拭いた。
I wiped my hands with a towel.
お皿を拭いて棚にしまった。
I wiped the dishes and put them away in the cupboard.
Specifically means to wipe off moisture. Common in cooking or cleaning instructions.
野菜の水気を拭き取ってから切ってください。
Wipe the moisture off the vegetables before cutting.
To remove a substance from a surface by wiping.
Focuses on removing something by wiping. Often used with を marking the thing removed.
窓の汚れを拭き取った。
I wiped the dirt off the window.
メガネの曇りを拭き取る。
I wipe the fog off my glasses.
Often used for wiping away tears, sweat, or something from one's own body. Slightly literary or emotional.
To wipe something off completely so it disappears, like erasing a whiteboard.
To specify the tool used for wiping.
Use the particle で to indicate the tool. Very common pattern.
こぼしたコーヒーをティッシュで拭いた。
I wiped the spilled coffee with a tissue.
To completely remove digital data or memories.
Standard term for erasing or wiping data from a device.
スマホのデータを消去した。
I wiped the data from my smartphone.
More formal, often used for deleting records, accounts, or evidence.
アカウントを抹消する。
To wipe an account.
To initialize or factory reset, effectively wiping all data.
パソコンを初期化した。
I wiped my computer (reset to factory settings).
To eliminate or destroy completely.
To sweep away or wipe out enemies, problems, etc. Often used in news.
敵を一掃した。
They wiped out the enemy.
To annihilate or wipe out completely. Stronger nuance.
ウイルスを全滅させる。
To wipe out the virus.
For erasing pencil or pen marks, use 消す (けす) with an eraser, not 拭く. 拭く implies a wiping motion with a cloth or tissue, not a rubber eraser.
鉛筆の跡を消しゴムで消す。
Erase pencil marks with an eraser.
拭く is general wiping. 拭き取る emphasizes removing something completely, often a substance. 拭う is often for wiping one's own body (tears, sweat) and can sound more emotional or literary.
She wiped away her tears.
額の汗を拭う。
I wipe the sweat from my forehead.
I wiped the writing off the whiteboard.