Translation guide
The English word "move" covers a wide range of meanings, from physical relocation to emotional impact. This guide breaks down the most common uses for learners and provides natural Japanese equivalents.
Expressing that something or someone changes place or posture.
General intransitive verb for moving, shifting, or being in motion. Used for objects, body parts, and abstract things like situations.
That car won't move.
Transitive verb meaning to move something. Use this when you are the agent causing movement.
More formal or technical term for moving from one place to another. Often used for travel, relocation of objects, or data transfer.
Let's move to the next meeting room.
To shift slightly out of position, slip, or be off alignment. Not for intentional movement.
Talking about changing where you live or work.
Describing something that touches the heart or stirs feelings.
To be moved emotionally, touched, or impressed. Often used for art, stories, or kind acts.
Initiating action, advancing a plan, or making a decision.
Also used metaphorically for taking action, making a move, or a situation changing.
Shifting one's viewpoint, position, or attitude.
Intransitive verb for changing. Used when someone's opinion or feeling shifts.
Making a formal suggestion or motion.
Standard phrase for 'to move (a motion)' in formal meetings.
Taking a turn in board games, sports, etc.
Used specifically for moving pieces in shogi, chess, or go.
Using 動く (ugoku) to mean moving to a new home is incorrect. Always use 引っ越す (hikkosu) for changing residence.
動く is general movement, often smaller scale. 移動する implies relocation from point A to B, often used in formal or technical contexts.
When you want to say a movie or story moved you, 感動する is the most natural choice. 心を動かす is more literal but less common in daily speech.
Could you move your car?
I feel like my tooth is moving.
机を右に動かしてください。
Please move the desk to the right.
He couldn't move his fingers.
Move the data to a new server.
My glasses moved (out of place).
The standard verb for moving house or office. Implies packing up and changing address.
I'm moving to Tokyo next month.
The person who moved in next door is kind.
Formal term for moving residence, often used in official notices.
Send a notice of moving.
I was deeply moved by that movie.
His speech moved the audience.
Literally 'move the heart', a more direct translation of 'move' in emotional sense. Slightly literary.
I was moved by her words.
Onomatopoeic expression for being touched or feeling a warm, choked-up sensation. Casual.
I got all choked up at the last scene.
It's time to make a move.
The negotiations have finally started moving.
To take action, behave, or act. More deliberate than 動く.
We must not just think, but move (act).
Idiom meaning to take measures or make a move (literally 'strike a hand'). Often in business or strategy.
We need to make a move quickly or it'll be bad.
He won't move (change his mind) anymore.
Transitive verb for changing something, like one's stance or policy.
The government should move (change) its policy.
Specifically to change one's attitude or stance.
He suddenly moved (changed his attitude).
He moved to adjourn the meeting.
General verb for proposing or suggesting, less formal than 動議を出す.
I move (propose) a new plan.
次はあなたが指す番です。
It's your turn to move.
Used for moves in go or sometimes in other games (like playing a card).
He made a brilliant move.
We're moving next week.
The story moved me to tears.