Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 更新する | kōshin suru |
| アップデートする | appudēto suru |
The verb forms are used to express the act of making something up to date.
Which one should you use?
更新する is a formal term often used for official renewals such as contracts, licenses or system updates. In contrast, アップデートする is a colloquial loanword used more frequently in casual conversation, specifically when referring to updating software or digital content.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the past tense 'updated', you change the verb to either 更新した or アップデートした. The noun forms of these verbs are 更新 and アップデート, which both mean 'update'. The noun 更新 is specifically used in formal contexts to refer to the act of renewing a subscription or a contract. Another related noun is 沙汰, which refers to the action of advising someone so that they are up to date.
How do you pronounce it?
kōshin suru
Did you know?
- The word 更新 (kōshin) can also mean 'renewal' in the sense of spiritual or physical regeneration, such as a 'renewal of the soul'.
- In a professional setting, 'updating' a boss on a situation is often expressed using the phrase 報告する (hōkoku suru), which means 'to report'.
- The kanji 新 in 更新 means 'new', but the first kanji 更 can mean 'to change' or 'to replace', making the word literally 'change to new'.
Examples in context
- システムをアップデートしました。I have updated the system.
- アプリを更新する。Apuri o koushin suru.Update the app.
- ウェブサイトを更新する予定です。Webusaito o koushin suru yotei desu.I plan to update the website.
- 最新のデータに更新する。Saishin no deeta ni koushin suru.Update to the latest data.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about a computer system at work.
- 蓮 Renシステムを更新する必要があるかな？Shisutemu o koushin suru hitsuyou ga aru kana?Do we need to update the system?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、蓮さん。すぐに更新してください。Hai, Ren-san. Sugu ni koushin shite kudasai.Yes, Ren. Please update it immediately.
- 蓮 Ren分かりました。今すぐ更新します。Wakarimashita. Ima sugu koushin shimasu.Understood. I will update it right now.
- 結衣 Yui助かります。よろしくお願いします。Tasukarimasu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.That helps. Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “update” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
