1The process of preserving food by packing it in salt, or food preserved in salt (e.g., salted vegetables or fish).
きゅうりを塩漬けにして一晩置いたら、水が出て味がなじんだ。
I salted the cucumbers and left them overnight; they released water and the flavor blended in.
自家製の塩漬けの鮭は酒のつまみにぴったりだ。
Homemade salted salmon is perfect as a snack with sake.
昔は保存のために野菜を塩漬けにすることが一般的だった。
In the past, it was common to preserve vegetables by salting them.
2Keeping assets (e.g., stocks, land) unsold for a long time in the hope they will rise in value; leaving something unused or mothballed.
彼は損切りせずに株を塩漬けにしてしまった。
He left the stocks unsold instead of cutting his losses — they became 'salted' (held long-term).
プロジェクトは予算不足で塩漬け状態になっている。
The project has been mothballed due to lack of funds.
不動産を塩漬けにしている間、税金や維持費はかかり続ける。
While holding real estate in mothballed status, taxes and maintenance costs continue to accrue.