Translation guide
The English word 'drive' covers many meanings, from operating a vehicle to motivating someone. This guide breaks down the most common uses for learners.
To control and steer a car, bus, truck, etc.
The standard verb for driving a vehicle. Focuses on the act of operating the controls.
毎日車を運転します。
I drive a car every day.
He is driving a truck.
Implies driving for leisure or a trip, not just the mechanical act. Often used for going for a drive.
週末に海までドライブしよう。
Let's drive to the beach this weekend.
Means 'to ride' or 'to get on'. Can sometimes be used for driving when the focus is on being in the vehicle, but 運転する is clearer for the act of driving.
Not a direct equivalent for 'drive'; use 運転する when you mean operating the vehicle.
車に乗る。
I get in the car. (Not 'I drive the car' unless context implies it.)
To transport a person to a destination using a vehicle.
Literally 'send by car'. The most natural way to say you'll drive someone somewhere.
駅まで車で送ってあげる。
I'll drive you to the station.
友達を空港まで車で送った。
I drove my friend to the airport.
Means 'to give a ride'. Focuses on having the person in the car with you.
家まで乗せていってくれませんか。
Could you drive me home?
To push, propel, or compel movement in a particular direction.
To drive away, force out, or corner someone/something. Often used for driving people into a situation.
彼は敵を隅に追いやった。
He drove the enemy into a corner.
貧困が彼を犯罪に追いやった。
Poverty drove him to crime.
To spur on, urge, or drive someone to action, often with a sense of pressure or compulsion.
To drive into a corner or a difficult situation. Similar to 追いやる but often implies a more confined space or dead end.
The inner urge or energy to achieve something.
Will, motivation, drive. A common noun for the desire to do something.
彼は仕事に対する意欲がある。
He has a drive for work.
意欲的な学生
a driven student
Motivation, willingness, get-up-and-go. More casual and commonly used in daily conversation.
Driving force, propulsion. More formal and often used in business or technical contexts.
A planned group activity to achieve something, like a fundraising drive.
Campaign, movement, drive. Used for organized efforts like fundraising or recruitment.
募金運動を行う。
We are holding a fundraising drive.
献血運動に参加する。
I participate in a blood donation drive.
Campaign (loanword). Often used for marketing or promotional drives.
To hit something with force to make it go into something else.
A storage device in a computer.
Loanword for computer drive. Used for hard drives, USB drives, etc.
外付けハードドライブ
external hard drive
Cドライブの容量が足りない。
The C drive is running out of space.
A private road leading to a house or garage.
ドライブする is only for leisurely driving. For operating a vehicle, use 運転する. For forcing movement, use 追いやる etc. Using ドライブ in other contexts will sound unnatural.
運転する focuses on the skill/act of driving. ドライブする implies a trip for enjoyment. Compare: 毎日運転する (I drive every day) vs. 週末にドライブする (I go for a drive on weekends).
好奇心が彼を探検に駆り立てた。
Curiosity drove him to explore.
They drove him into a corner.
I have no drive lately.
やる気満々だ。
I'm full of drive.
彼はチームの推進力だ。
He is the driving force of the team.
新製品の販売キャンペーン
a sales drive for a new product
杭を地面に突き刺した。
He drove a stake into the ground.
Wait at the hotel driveway.