Translation guide
The act of deflecting or blocking an attack, especially in martial arts, fencing, or metaphorical contexts. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through specific verbs and nouns related to defense techniques.
parrying (in martial arts)
To describe the physical action of parrying a blow, strike, or thrust in combat sports or traditional martial arts.
Noun meaning 'parry' or 'deflection', literally 'receiving and flowing away'. Commonly used in kendo, judo, and other martial arts.
He parried the opponent's attack with a deflection.
Verb meaning 'to parry' or 'to deflect'. Used for smoothly redirecting an incoming force.
In kendo, the technique of parrying strikes is important.
Loanword from English 'parrying', used in modern fencing or gaming contexts.
In fencing, parrying is a fundamental defensive move.
Noun meaning 'dodge' or 'evasion', but can imply parrying when combined with a block. Often used in boxing or martial arts.
In boxing, the skill of parrying punches is necessary.
To describe skillfully avoiding or redirecting a verbal attack, difficult question, or criticism.
Literally 'to dodge a question', used for parrying an unwanted inquiry.
He skillfully parried the reporter's tough questions.
Metaphorically 'to parry an attack', used for verbal or rhetorical attacks.
Same verb as physical parrying, but used figuratively to mean deflecting a comment or situation smoothly.
受け流す implies a smooth redirection while maintaining contact, like in swordplay. かわす implies evasion or dodging without necessarily making contact. In metaphorical use, 受け流す suggests handling something gracefully, while かわす can imply simply avoiding it.
There is no single Japanese verb that covers all uses of 'parry'. Using パリー or パリング is limited to fencing or gaming contexts. For general martial arts, use 受け流す or かわす depending on the nuance.
He parried the blow with his sword.
She parried every question with a joke.
She lightly parried the criticism and smiled.
He parried the sarcasm and remained calm.