Translation guide
To overturn in water, typically a boat or ship. Japanese has several verbs depending on what capsizes and how.
The most common way to say a boat or ship capsizes, often due to waves or instability.
General term for a vessel overturning. Used for boats, ships, and sometimes other vehicles. Neutral formality.
小型ボートが転覆した。
A small boat capsized.
嵐で船が転覆する危険がある。
There is a risk of the ship capsizing in the storm.
When someone or something causes a boat to overturn.
Transitive form of 転覆する. Means to cause a boat to capsize.
大きな波がボートを転覆させた。
A big wave capsized the boat.
When a person ends up in the water because the boat overturns or they lose balance.
Describes falling out as a result of the boat capsizing.
ボートが転覆して、乗っていた人が湖に落ちた。
The boat capsized and the people on board fell into the lake.
転覆する is the standard term for vessels capsizing and is used in news and formal contexts. ひっくり返る is more colloquial and can be used for any flipping over, including boats, but may sound less serious.
新聞は「漁船が転覆」と報じた。
The newspaper reported 'fishing boat capsizes'.
湖で遊んでいたらボートがひっくり返っちゃった。
While playing on the lake, the boat flipped over.
転覆する is specifically for vessels or vehicles. For a cup or a chair tipping over, use ひっくり返る or 倒れる (たおれる).
フェリーが嵐で転覆した。
The ferry capsized in the storm.
カヌーを転覆させないように気をつけて。
Be careful not to capsize the canoe.
More casual and general 'to flip over'. Can be used for boats, but also for any object. Often implies a sudden or complete overturn.
波でカヌーがひっくり返った。
The canoe capsized in the waves.
Literary or formal term for overturning. Can be used for boats, but also for abstract things like decisions. Less common in everyday speech.
船が覆り、多くの命が失われた。
The ship capsized and many lives were lost.
Casual transitive verb meaning to flip something over. Can be used for boats.
子供がプールで浮き輪をひっくり返した。
The child capsized the inner tube in the pool.
Means to be thrown out, often used when a boat capsizes suddenly and people are thrown into the water.
急にボートが傾いて、海に投げ出された。
The boat suddenly tilted and I was thrown into the sea.