Translation guide
The English word "fly" covers many distinct meanings: moving through air (birds, insects, planes), traveling by air, piloting an aircraft, moving quickly, fleeing, and even a type of insect or a zipper flap. This guide breaks down these meanings and gives natural Japanese equivalents.
To move through the air using wings or similar means.
The most common verb for flying. Used for birds, insects, airplanes, etc. Intransitive.
A bird is flying in the sky.
ハエが部屋の中を飛んでいる。
A fly is flying around the room.
To fly around, flutter about. Emphasizes movement in various directions.
蝶が花の周りを飛び回っている。
Butterflies are flying around the flowers.
To go somewhere by airplane.
Literally 'go by airplane'. The most natural way to say you are flying somewhere.
来週、東京に飛行機で行きます。
I'm flying to Tokyo next week.
Can also be used for traveling by air, but less common than the phrase above.
彼はよく海外に飛ぶ。
He often flies abroad.
To control and operate an aircraft.
To pilot, to fly (a plane). Used for the action of controlling the aircraft.
彼は小型機を操縦できる。
He can fly a small plane.
Transitive verb meaning 'to fly (something)'. Can be used for piloting, but also for making something fly (like a kite).
彼は戦闘機を飛ばしている。
He flies a fighter jet.
To go or move very fast.
Literally 'fly and go', used for rushing off somewhere.
彼は知らせを聞いてすぐに飛んでいった。
He flew off as soon as he heard the news.
To rush to the scene, to hurry to a place. Often used in emergencies.
救急車が現場に駆けつけた。
The ambulance flew to the scene.
Can mean to speed, to make something go fast (e.g., a car).
To run away from danger or a situation.
To escape, to run away. The most common word for fleeing.
泥棒は逃げた。
The thief flew.
To flee, to abscond. More formal, often used for criminals or escaping from a place.
犯人は国外に逃亡した。
The criminal fled the country.
The common insect of the order Diptera.
The flap covering the zipper or buttons on the front of trousers.
Refers to the zipper itself, but often used to mean the fly area. 'チャック' is also common.
ファスナーが開いてるよ。
Your fly is open.
A very common colloquial term for zipper, often used for the fly.
A piece of cloth with a design, used as a symbol or for decoration.
General word for flag. Note: 'fly' as a verb for a flag is '掲げる' (かかげる) or '翻る' (ひるがえる).
国旗が風に翻っている。
The national flag is flying in the wind.
When talking about traveling by airplane, using '飛ぶ' alone can sound unnatural. It's better to use '飛行機で行く' or '空路で行く'.
来月、パリに飛行機で行きます。
I'm flying to Paris next month.
飛ぶ (とぶ) is intransitive (something flies). 飛ばす (とばす) is transitive (someone flies something). Use 飛ばす for piloting or making something fly.
光陰矢の如し。
Time flies.
A proverb meaning 'time flies like an arrow'. More common in everyday speech: 時間が経つのは早い (じかんがたつのははやい).
He flew down the highway.
I forgot to zip up my fly.