Translation guide
A heavy wheel that stores rotational energy, used in engines and machinery. In Japanese, the standard term is フライホイール, with a native equivalent 弾み車. This entry covers both the mechanical part and related metaphorical uses.
A heavy rotating wheel used to store kinetic energy and smooth out power delivery in engines or machines.
The most common and widely understood term in modern technical contexts, borrowed from English.
The engine's flywheel broke.
A native Japanese term for flywheel, often used in mechanical engineering contexts. Less common than フライホイール but still understood.
Refers specifically to a dual-mass flywheel, a component in modern automotive transmissions. Technical term.
Replacing a dual-mass flywheel is expensive.
Something that stores momentum or energy in a system, often used in business or self-improvement contexts.
The English metaphor 'flywheel effect' is often directly borrowed as フライホイール効果 in Japanese business literature. The term フライホイール can be used in metaphorical contexts, but it's less common than in English. Often, Japanese prefers native expressions like 好循環 (virtuous cycle) for similar concepts.
While 'flywheel' is used metaphorically in English (e.g., 'flywheel effect'), Japanese often prefers native expressions like 好循環 or 弾み. Directly using フライホイール in a metaphor may sound like a loanword and might not be immediately understood without context.
This machine has a large flywheel attached.
This strategy will spin the business flywheel.
Means 'virtuous cycle' or 'positive feedback loop', often used where English might say 'flywheel effect' in business or economics.
Improved customer satisfaction created a virtuous cycle of increased sales.
An idiomatic expression meaning 'to gain momentum', derived from the same root as 弾み車. Used when a project or activity picks up speed.
The project has gained momentum.
Small successes gained momentum and led to big results.