Translation guide
The English verb 'dwell' has two main uses: living somewhere (often formal or literary) and thinking or talking about something at length (often negative). This guide covers natural Japanese for both.
To live in a particular place, often with a formal, literary, or archaic tone.
They dwell in a small cottage by the sea. · The forest where the spirits dwell.
The standard, neutral word for 'to live' or 'to reside'. Use this in most everyday contexts.
彼は東京に住んでいます。
He lives in Tokyo.
To think, speak, or write about something for a long time, often in a way that is negative or unproductive.
Stop dwelling on the past. · He dwelt on the details of the accident.
To brood or worry about something, often used for negative thoughts. Very common for 'dwell on' in a negative sense.
過去の失敗をくよくよ考えても仕方がない。
There's no point dwelling on past mistakes.
In modern English, 'dwell' for 'live' sounds formal or poetic. In Japanese, use 住む (sumu) or 暮らす (kurasu) for normal contexts. Avoid archaic words like 住まう unless you want a literary effect.
住む focuses on the physical place of residence. 暮らす focuses on the lifestyle and daily activities. For example, 'I live in Tokyo' is 東京に住んでいる, but 'I want to live a quiet life' is 静かに暮らしたい.
I want to live in a small town.
Emphasizes daily life and livelihood, not just physical residence. Often used for a way of life or a period of time.
田舎で静かに暮らしたい。
I want to live quietly in the countryside.
彼は一生を貧しく暮らした。
He lived his whole life in poverty.
Formal, often used in legal or official contexts (e.g., residency registration).
外国人は日本に居住する権利があります。
Foreigners have the right to reside in Japan.
Archaic or poetic word for dwelling, often found in literature. Not used in modern conversation.
森の奥に魔女が住まうと言われている。
It is said that a witch dwells deep in the forest.
彼は小さなことをいつまでもくよくよ考える。
He dwells on small things forever.
To be lost in thought for a long time, often with a nuance of being stuck. 'いつまでも' means 'forever' or 'endlessly'.
彼女はその問題について、いつまでも考え込んでいた。
She dwelt on the problem endlessly.
To talk at length about something, often with a negative connotation of being tedious. Used when 'dwell on' means to speak too much about a topic.
彼は自分の病気のことを長々と話した。
He dwelt on his illness at great length.
To be hung up on or obsessed with a detail. Can be used for 'dwell on' when someone fixates on a particular point.
彼は細かい点にこだわりすぎる。
He dwells too much on minor details.