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.
単語の意味を辞書で調べた。
I looked up the meaning of the word in the dictionary.
インターネットで調べてみて。
Try looking it up on the internet.
Specifically used for looking up words in a dictionary. Often used with 辞書 (dictionary).
知らない単語は辞書を引こう。
Let's look up unknown words in the dictionary.
Means 'to search' (online or in a database). More formal than 調べる.
キーワードで検索してください。
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.
景気が上向いてきた。
The economy is looking up.
最近、運気が上向いている。
My luck has been looking up lately.
Means 'to take a turn for the better'. Slightly formal.
状況が好転することを願っている。
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.
天気が良くなってきた。
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.
東京に来たら、私を訪ねてください。
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.
今度そちらに行くときは連絡します。
I'll look you up next time I'm in town.
Literally 'go to meet'. A natural way to express visiting someone.
久しぶりに彼に会いに行った。
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.
Means 'to look up at'. Used when looking at something above eye level.
彼は空を見上げた。
He looked up at the sky.
星を見上げるのが好きです。
I like looking up at the stars.
Literally 'look up'. Simple and direct.
上を見てごらん。
Look up.
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.
辞書でその単語を調べた。
I looked up the word in the dictionary.
状況が上向いてきた。
Things are looking up.
ニューヨークに来たら連絡してね。
Look me up when you're in New York.
彼は星を見上げた。
He looked up at the stars.