Translation guide
Describes the state of producing or being covered in foam, such as soap suds, beer head, or sea foam. Japanese uses different words depending on the substance and context.
Describing a liquid that is producing or covered in foam, like soapy water or a freshly poured beer.
Verb meaning 'to foam' or 'to froth'. Used for liquids that naturally form bubbles, like soap, beer, or waves.
ビールが泡立っている。
The beer is foaming.
石鹸がよく泡立つ。
The soap foams well.
Phrase meaning 'foam forms' or 'bubbles rise'. Often used descriptively.
洗剤を入れたら泡が立った。
When I added detergent, it foamed up.
Technical term for 'foaming' or 'effervescing', used in chemistry or manufacturing contexts.
この液体は加熱すると発泡する。
This liquid foams when heated.
Describing foam coming from the mouth, often due to a medical condition or extreme anger.
Idiomatic phrase meaning 'to foam at the mouth'. Used for both literal (e.g., seizure) and figurative (e.g., rage) contexts.
彼は発作で泡を吹いた。
He foamed at the mouth during the seizure.
怒りで泡を吹くほどだった。
He was so angry he was practically foaming at the mouth.
More literal description: 'to produce foam from the mouth'. Less idiomatic but clear.
犬が口から泡を出していた。
The dog was foaming at the mouth.
Describing sea foam or waves that are frothy.
Same verb as for liquids; also used for sea foam.
波が泡立っている。
The waves are foaming.
Literally 'white waves rise', often used to describe foamy or breaking waves.
沖に白波が立っていた。
White, foaming waves were rising offshore.
Specifically referring to the symptom of rabies.
Same phrase as above, but in the context of rabies. Often appears in older literature.
狂犬病にかかった犬は泡を吹く。
A dog with rabies foams at the mouth.
泡立つ is a single verb, while 泡が立つ is a phrase with the noun 泡 (foam) and verb 立つ (to rise). Both are natural, but 泡立つ is more concise and common in everyday speech.
For carbonated drinks like soda, use 炭酸が強い (strongly carbonated) or シュワシュワする (fizzy onomatopoeia). 泡立つ is for foam, not fizz.