Translation guide
Describes the action of drawing the body into a compact, rounded shape, often for comfort, warmth, or protection. Japanese uses different verbs depending on whether you are curling up your whole body, curling up in bed, or curling up like a ball.
I curled up on the sofa and read a book.
It was cold, so I wrapped myself in a blanket and curled up.
To crouch or huddle down, often with knees drawn up. Implies a protective or defensive posture, sometimes due to fear, pain, or cold.
He was curled up in the corner.
Literally 'to hug one's knees'. Describes the specific posture of sitting with knees drawn up to the chest and arms wrapped around them.
She was sitting on the bed curled up with her knees hugged to her chest.
To lie in bed with the body drawn up, often under blankets, for warmth or comfort.
To make the body as small and round as possible, often for protection or extreme cold.
To become round; used for curling up into a ball-like shape. Often used for animals or people in a fetal position.
A hedgehog curls up into a ball when it senses danger.
He curled up into a ball from the cold.
Also used for sleeping in a curled-up ball shape.
The baby is sleeping curled up in a ball.
For thin objects like paper, leaves, or edges to bend or roll up.
体を丸める is a neutral description of curling up for comfort. うずくまる implies a defensive or miserable huddle, often on the ground. Use 体を丸める for cozy situations.
curling up on the sofa vs huddling on the roadside
カールする is a loanword from English 'curl', but it is mainly used for hair curling or making something into a curl shape. It is not natural for describing a person curling up their body.
The board curled up from moisture.