Translation guide
The English verb 'blow' has several distinct meanings, from moving air to exploding. This guide covers the most common uses for learners.
To expel air from the mouth, often to cool something, play an instrument, or extinguish a flame.
General verb for blowing air from the mouth. Used for blowing on food, blowing out candles, playing wind instruments, etc.
I blew on the hot soup to cool it down.
He blew out the candle.
Literally 'to blow breath onto something'. Used when the action is gentle or directed at a surface.
I breathed on my glasses and wiped them.
To describe the wind moving or causing something to move.
The same verb is used for wind blowing. The subject is the wind.
The wind is blowing strongly.
My hat was blown off by the wind.
To explode, burst, or be destroyed by an explosion.
Standard verb for 'to explode'. Used for bombs, gas, etc.
The gas pipe blew up.
Means 'to burst' or 'to rupture', often for tires, balloons, or blood vessels.
The tire blew out.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be blown away' or 'to be blasted away', often by an explosion.
To clear mucus from the nose by blowing air through it.
The standard expression for blowing one's nose. Note: it uses 'かむ', not 'ふく'.
Do not use 吹く for blowing your nose; it sounds unnatural.
He blew his nose with a handkerchief.
To spend a lot of money quickly and often carelessly.
To fail to take advantage of a chance or to ruin something.
To leave a place quickly or abruptly.
To produce sound by blowing into a whistle, horn, or similar device.
While 吹く covers many 'blow' meanings, it cannot be used for blowing your nose (鼻をかむ), blowing money (使い果たす), or blowing a chance (逃す). Always check the specific meaning.
爆発する is for violent explosions (bombs, gas), while 破裂する is for bursting due to internal pressure (tires, balloons).
The wind blew the leaves around.
I think I blew the interview.
爆発で窓ガラスが吹き飛んだ。
The windows were blown out by the explosion.
He blew the party.
He blew the horn.