Translation guide
The English phrase 'puff up' has several distinct meanings: to swell physically, to become arrogant, and to inflate something. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each.
Describing something that expands in size, often due to air, heat, or injury.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to swell' or 'to expand'. Used for bread, balloons, cheeks, etc.
The bread puffed up in the oven.
The balloon puffs up.
Specifically for body parts swelling due to injury or inflammation.
My ankle is puffed up.
Similar to 膨らむ but often implies a more noticeable or abnormal swelling, or can be used for sulking.
The rice absorbed water and puffed up.
Technical term for expansion, often used in scientific contexts.
Gases puff up (expand) with heat.
Describing a person who acts more important than they are, often with a sense of inflated ego.
Literally 'to act important'. A common way to say someone is puffing themselves up with arrogance.
He's been puffing himself up since his promotion.
Verb meaning 'to be bossy' or 'to throw one's weight around'. Implies puffing up with pride.
Idiom meaning 'to get a big head', literally 'to become a tengu'. Used when someone becomes conceited after success.
Literally 'to hang on one's nose', meaning to be proud or boastful about something.
He puffs up his academic background.
Making something expand, such as puffing up one's cheeks or inflating a balloon.
Do not use physical swelling words like 膨らむ to describe a person's ego. Use phrases like 偉そうにする or 威張る instead.
He is puffed up (with arrogance).
あの人はいつも威張っている。
That person is always puffed up.
He puffs up as soon as he gets a little praise.
彼は風船を膨らました。
He puffed up the balloon.