Translation guide
The English verb "broaden" means to make something wider or more extensive, or to become wider or more extensive. In Japanese, there is no single direct equivalent; the translation depends on whether you are broadening a physical object, a scope, knowledge, experience, or a range of options. This guide covers the most common and natural ways to express these ideas.
To expand one's understanding, skills, or life experiences.
Literally 'broaden one's field of vision', this is the most common and natural way to say 'broaden one's horizons' in Japanese. It implies expanding one's perspective or outlook.
留学して視野を広げたい。
I want to study abroad and broaden my horizons.
新しい趣味を始めて視野が広がった。
Starting a new hobby broadened my horizons.
A slightly formal phrase meaning 'broaden one's knowledge and experience', often used in writing or speeches.
旅行は見聞を広める良い機会だ。
Traveling is a good opportunity to broaden your knowledge and experience.
Literally 'broaden knowledge', this is a straightforward way to say 'broaden one's knowledge'.
本を読んで知識を広げる。
I read books to broaden my knowledge.
Means 'to accumulate experience', often used when broadening practical experience.
ボランティアで経験を積みたい。
I want to broaden my experience through volunteering.
To make something include more variety, a wider area, or more choices.
The most common transitive verb meaning 'to broaden' or 'to widen'. Used for physical and abstract things like scope, range, or influence.
事業の範囲を広げる。
Broaden the scope of the business.
選択肢を広げる。
Broaden one's options.
The intransitive counterpart of 広げる, meaning 'to broaden' or 'to widen' by itself. Use when the subject itself becomes broader.
Means 'to enlarge' or 'to expand', often used for scale, scope, or business. More formal than 広げる.
市場を拡大する。
Broaden the market.
Means 'to expand and enrich', often used for services, facilities, or systems. Formal and business-like.
サービス内容を拡充する。
Broaden the range of services.
To make something physically wider or broader.
The standard verb for physically widening something, like opening a map or spreading out a cloth.
Intransitive: the road broadens, the view broadens.
Means 'to extend' or 'to expand', often used for physical expansion like building extensions or road widening. More technical.
道路を拡張する計画。
A plan to broaden the road.
To make a smile wider or more pronounced.
Literally 'a smile spreads', this is the natural way to say a smile broadens across one's face.
彼の顔に笑顔が広がった。
A smile broadened across his face.
Means 'to smile broadly' or 'to grin'. It describes the action of breaking into a broad smile.
彼女は嬉しそうににっこりした。
She smiled broadly with happiness.
広げる (hirogeru) is transitive: someone broadens something. 広がる (hirogaru) is intransitive: something broadens by itself. Be careful not to mix them up. Example: 視野を広げる (broaden one's horizons) vs. 視野が広がる (one's horizons broaden).
Do not use ブロードン or try to directly translate 'broaden' as a single word. Japanese uses different verbs depending on what is being broadened. Using 広げる for everything can sound unnatural; for knowledge and experience, use set phrases like 視野を広げる or 見聞を広める.
交流の輪が広がる。
One's circle of acquaintances broadens.
視野が広がる。
One's horizons broaden.
この先で道が広がる。
The road broadens up ahead.