Translation guide
How to express 'arousing' in Japanese, covering sexual excitement, stirring emotions, and waking someone up.
Describing something that causes sexual excitement or desire.
General term for causing excitement, including sexual arousal. Can be used for things, situations, or people.
その映画のシーンはとても興奮させる。
That movie scene is very arousing.
Explicitly 'sexually arousing'. Used when clarity is needed.
Causing strong feelings like curiosity, sympathy, or excitement (non-sexual).
Causing someone to wake up.
To wake someone up. The most common verb for this meaning.
English 'arousing' covers sexual, emotional, and physical waking. In Japanese, different words are used for each. Using 興奮させる for waking someone up would be unnatural.
彼を興奮させて起こした。
I aroused him and woke him up. (unnatural, sounds sexual)
Both are casual and imply sexual arousal. そそる is more about 'turning on' interest/desire, while ムラムラさせる is more directly about sexual urge. そそる can sometimes be used for non-sexual excitement (e.g., appetite), but ムラムラさせる is almost always sexual.
その広告は性的に興奮させる内容だった。
The advertisement had sexually arousing content.
Colloquial, onomatopoeic for causing sexual desire. Casual and often used among friends.
彼女のダンスはムラムラさせる。
Her dancing is arousing.
To stir up desire or interest, often sexual. Casual and slightly slangy.
あの声はすごくそそる。
That voice is really arousing.
Slang for 'erotic' or 'sexy'. Can describe something arousing in a direct, informal way.
その写真、めっちゃエロいね。
That photo is super arousing.
To stir up, arouse (emotions, interest, curiosity). Often used with nouns like 興味 (interest) or 好奇心 (curiosity).
その話は私の好奇心をかき立てた。
That story aroused my curiosity.
To evoke, arouse (memories, feelings). More literary.
その曲は懐かしい思い出を呼び起こす。
That song arouses nostalgic memories.
To stimulate, arouse (interest, appetite, imagination). Common in both casual and formal contexts.
この本は読者の想像力を刺激する。
This book arouses the reader's imagination.
朝6時に起こしてください。
Please wake me up at 6 a.m.
To awaken someone, often used figuratively or in literary contexts.
その音が私を眠りから目覚めさせた。
The sound aroused me from sleep.