Translation guide
The English word 'flow' covers movement of liquids, gases, and abstract things like time, traffic, or ideas. Japanese uses different words depending on what is flowing and how.
Describing the smooth, continuous movement of water, air, or other fluids.
General noun for a flow or stream of liquid, gas, or even abstract things like time or traffic.
川の流れが速い。
The river's flow is fast.
空気の流れを感じる。
I feel the flow of air.
Intransitive verb: to flow (liquid, gas, time, etc.). Use this when the subject itself flows.
Transitive verb: to make something flow, to pour, to flush. Use when someone causes the flow.
Describing the steady movement of crowds, traffic, or a line of things.
Describing the progression or sequence of abstract things like time, a story, or a discussion.
Describing the flow of something specific like blood, electric current, or data.
Blood flow. Common in medical or health contexts.
Describing the mental state of being fully immersed and energized, often called 'flow state' in psychology.
Describing the quantity of fluid passing a point per unit time, like in engineering or plumbing.
The loanword フロー is mainly for the psychological flow state or IT data flow. For physical flow of liquids, use 流れ or 流れる.
流れる is intransitive (something flows by itself). 流す is transitive (someone makes something flow). Compare: 水が流れる (water flows) vs. 水を流す (pour water / flush).
涙が流れた。
Tears flowed.
時間の流れは容赦ない。
The flow of time is relentless.
話の流れを見失った。
I lost track of the conversation's flow.
健康には良い血流が大切です。
Good blood flow is important for health.
水が流れている。
Water is flowing.
雲が空を流れていく。
Clouds are flowing across the sky.
Pour water / flush water.
音楽を流す。
Play music (lit. let music flow).
Same word as for liquids; also used for the flow of people, traffic, or events.
人の流れが絶えない。
The flow of people is constant.
車の流れがスムーズだ。
The flow of traffic is smooth.
Specifically 'traffic flow'. More precise when talking about vehicles.
交通の流れが悪い。
The traffic flow is bad.
Used metaphorically for the flow of time, a process, or a narrative.
Formal noun for passage or progress of time. Often used in written or technical contexts.
時間の経過とともに。
With the flow/passage of time.
血流が良くなる。
Blood flow improves.
Electric current/flow. Technical term.
電流が流れる。
Electric current flows.
Data flow. Used in IT contexts.
データの流れを管理する。
Manage the flow of data.
Loanword from English, used in psychology and self-help to mean the flow state.
フロー状態に入る。
Enter a flow state.
Colloquial phrase meaning 'to be in the zone', similar to flow state in sports or creative work.
試合中、完全にゾーンに入っていた。
During the game, I was completely in the zone.
Flow rate or volume of flow. Technical term.
水の流量を測定する。
Measure the water flow rate.
トイレの水を流す。
Flush the toilet.
トイレの水を流す。
Flush the toilet.