Translation guide
The English word 'impulse' covers several related ideas: a sudden urge to act, a driving force, and a technical term in physics. This guide helps learners express these concepts naturally in Japanese.
I bought it on impulse.
He acted on impulse.
Express a spontaneous desire or compulsion to do something, often without thinking.
I bought it on impulse. · He has a tendency to act on impulse. · She felt an impulse to run away.
The most direct and common translation for a sudden, often irrational urge. Used in phrases like 'on impulse' or 'impulse buying'.
I made an impulse purchase.
An adverb meaning 'unintentionally' or 'without thinking', often used to describe acting on impulse. It implies a lack of conscious control.
Means 'involuntarily' or 'without thinking', often used when an action is a reflexive response to a stimulus. Similar to 'つい' but emphasizes the spontaneity.
Adverbial form meaning 'impulsively'. Used to describe actions done on a whim.
He impulsively went on a trip.
Refer to an internal force that propels someone to act, often in a creative or productive context.
The technical term in physics for the integral of force over time, equal to change in momentum.
The standard physics term for impulse. Literally 'force accumulation'.
The electrical signal transmitted along a nerve fiber.
While 衝動 is the most common translation, it often carries a nuance of irrationality or lack of control. For a more neutral 'urge' or 'inclination', consider words like 気持ち (feeling) or 欲求 (desire).
He suddenly felt an impulse to see the ocean.
I resisted the impulse to laugh.
He couldn't control his impulse to get angry.
I ended up eating too much (on impulse).
I impulsively told a lie.
思わず叫んでしまった。
I screamed involuntarily (on impulse).
Can also be used for a strong inner drive, especially in psychological or artistic contexts.
Driven by a creative impulse, I started painting.
In Freudian psychology, 'impulse' is often translated as 衝動, referring to primal drives.
Freud explained human behavior through unconscious impulses.
Means 'motive' or 'motivation'. It is less about sudden urges and more about the reason behind an action.
What was the impulse behind his actions?
Impulse equals the change in momentum.
Loanword from English, used in some technical contexts like signal processing or electronics, but less common in classical mechanics.
Measure the impulse response.
The standard term combining 'nerve' and the loanword 'impulse'.
The nerve impulse travels across the synapse.
In physiology, 'excitation' can sometimes be used to refer to the impulse, but it's less precise.
The nerve impulse is conducted.
衝動 is a noun for the urge itself. つい and 思わず are adverbs describing actions done without thinking. つい often implies a bad habit or something you know you shouldn't do, while 思わず is a more neutral involuntary reaction.
On an impulse, I decided to call her.