Translation guide
The English phrase "look up" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses for learners: searching for information, improving, visiting someone, and physically looking upward.
To search for information in a reference source, such as a dictionary, the internet, or a database.
look up a word in the dictionary · look up the address online · look up the phone number
General verb meaning 'to look up' or 'to investigate'. Used for looking up words, facts, or information.
I looked up the meaning of the word in the dictionary.
Try looking it up on the internet.
Specifically used for looking up words in a dictionary. Often used with 辞書 (dictionary).
Let's look up unknown words in the dictionary.
Means 'to search' (online or in a database). More formal than 調べる.
Please look it up by keyword.
To become better or more favorable, often used for situations, weather, or business.
Things are looking up. · Business is looking up. · The weather is looking up.
Means 'to look up' in the sense of improving or turning upward. Used for trends, economy, mood.
The economy is looking up.
Means 'to take a turn for the better'. Slightly formal.
I hope things will look up.
Simple and common way to say 'get better'. Not a direct translation of 'look up' but conveys the meaning naturally.
The weather is looking up.
To visit or contact someone, especially when you are in the area they live or work.
Look me up when you're in town. · I looked up an old friend.
Means 'to visit' a person. Can be used for dropping by or looking someone up.
If you come to Tokyo, please look me up.
Means 'to contact'. Often used when 'look up' implies getting in touch rather than a physical visit.
I'll look you up next time I'm in town.
Literally 'go to meet'. A natural way to express visiting someone.
I looked up an old friend.
To direct your eyes upward; to see something above.
Look up at the sky. · She looked up from her book.
The English phrase 'look up' cannot be directly translated as 上を見る when meaning 'to search'. Use 調べる or 検索する instead.
調べる is a general verb for looking up any information. 引く is specifically for looking up words in a dictionary (辞書を引く). Using 引く for internet searches is unnatural.
I looked up the word in the dictionary.
Things are looking up.
Look me up when you're in New York.
He looked up at the stars.
My luck has been looking up lately.
I like looking up at the stars.