Translation guide
Describes stones that are not fixed in place, such as loose paving stones, rocks on a trail, or a gemstone removed from its setting.
The stone is physically unstable, wobbly, or detached from its surroundings.
Natural way to describe a stone that wobbles when stepped on or touched. 'ぐらぐら' is an onomatopoeia for unsteadiness.
These cobblestones have a lot of loose stones and are hard to walk on.
More literal 'unstable stone', used in slightly more formal or written contexts.
The loose stones in the wall look like they might fall.
Technical or explanatory phrase meaning 'unfixed stone'. Used in construction or safety reports.
I tripped on a loose stone.
A gemstone that has come out of its jewelry setting or is sold as a single stone.
Used when a gemstone has fallen out of a ring, pendant, etc. '外れた' means 'come off/detached'.
I lost the loose stone from my ring.
Loanword from English 'loose stone', commonly used in jewelry shops and by collectors.
I want to make this loose stone into a pendant.
Technical term in jewelry industry meaning 'bare stone' or 'unset gem'. Not common in everyday speech.
I bought it as a loose stone.
Small rocks or stones that are loose on the ground, making a surface unstable.
Literally 'floating stone', used for stones that are not firmly embedded in the ground, often on hiking trails.
There are many loose stones on the trail, so be careful.
Means 'stones lying around', implying they are loose and not fixed. Casual and descriptive.
It's slippery because of the loose stones on the road.