Translation guide
The act or state of curving, flexing, or folding something, or being curved. This guide covers physical bending of objects, body parts, and materials, as well as figurative uses like bending rules.
To apply force to make something curved or angled, such as bending a wire, a pipe, or a stick.
The most common verb for intentionally bending something flexible or rigid. Used for wires, metal bars, plastic, etc.
I bent a wire and made a hook.
He easily bent the spoon.
To bend by folding, often implying a sharper angle or crease. Used for paper, thin metal, or folding something over.
Please fold the paper in half.
To bend something under pressure, often implying elasticity, like bending a bow or a fishing rod. Somewhat literary or technical.
He bends the bow and releases the arrow.
To become curved or angled, often due to force, weight, or natural state. For example, a branch bending under weight, or a road curving.
The most common intransitive verb for something bending or curving. Used for roads, pipes, trees, etc.
This road bends to the right.
The branch bent under the weight of the snow.
To bend flexibly without breaking, like a whip, a thin branch, or a fishing rod. Emphasizes elasticity.
To bend under weight or pressure, often used for floors, shelves, or branches. Similar to しなる but more about sagging.
To flex or bend a joint, such as bending your arm, knee, or finger.
The same verb as for objects, used for bending joints. Very common.
Please bend your elbow.
Count by bending your fingers.
Often used for bending fingers or toes at the knuckle, especially when counting or making a fist. Can imply a sharper bend.
To bend your body forward or downward, such as bending over to pick something up, or bowing.
To bend down, stoop, or crouch. Used for bending over to pick something up or to avoid hitting your head.
He bent down to tie his shoelaces.
Literally 'bend the waist/hips'. Used for bending forward at the waist, often in exercise or when bowing deeply.
When bowing, you bend at the waist.
To bend one's body forward, often to show respect or to hide. Slightly formal.
He bent his body and apologized.
To stretch or alter rules, facts, or principles to suit one's needs, without completely breaking them.
Literally 'bend the rules'. A direct and common expression for making exceptions or stretching regulations.
He always bends the rules to suit himself.
To distort or twist facts. Similar to 'bend the truth'.
He bent the facts when he spoke.
To be flexible or accommodating, to make adjustments. Not a direct translation of 'bend', but conveys the idea of bending rules in a positive sense.
The phenomenon of light, sound, or waves changing direction, such as refraction or diffraction.
曲げる (mageru) means to bend without breaking, often into a curve. 折る (oru) means to bend sharply, often to the point of folding or breaking. For example, bending a wire into a circle uses 曲げる, while snapping a stick in half uses 折る. However, for bending fingers when counting, 折る is idiomatic.
曲がる (magaru) is intransitive (something bends). To say you bend something, use 曲げる (mageru). Using 曲がる with an object is a common mistake.
bend the wire
The bamboo is bending in the wind.
The bookshelf is bending under the weight of the books.
Count numbers by bending fingers.
Could you bend the rules a little?
音波は障害物の後ろに回折する。
Sound waves bend behind obstacles.
incorrect