Translation guide
The act or process of making something longer, or the state of being lengthened. In Japanese, the expression depends on what is being elongated (physical objects, time, sounds, etc.) and whether it is a natural process or an intentional action.
To make a physical object longer, or to describe it becoming longer.
Transitive verb meaning to stretch or lengthen something, like a rubber band, limbs, or hair.
Intransitive verb meaning to stretch or become longer, often naturally or automatically.
I grew taller.
The rubber band has stretched out.
To extend something in length, often used for linear objects like cables, roads, or time periods. More formal than 伸ばす.
Extend the cable.
To make a period of time longer, such as a deadline, meeting, or stay.
The lengthening of a vowel or consonant sound in speech.
The angular distance between a planet and the sun as seen from Earth.
Astronomical term for elongation.
The greatest elongation of Venus is about 47 degrees.
The amount of stretching a material undergoes before breaking, often expressed as a percentage.
伸ばす (のばす) is used for physical stretching (hair, limbs, rubber), while 延ばす (のばす) is used for extending time or abstract lengths (deadline, stay). In modern usage, 伸ばす is often written for both, but the distinction can be important in formal writing.
The English word 'elongation' is often technical. In everyday Japanese, use specific verbs like 伸ばす or 延長する instead of a direct noun equivalent. The noun 'elongation' itself is rarely used outside of scientific contexts.
Could you extend the deadline?
He speaks with a drawl, elongating the ends of words.