Translation guide
The English word 'revolving' describes something that turns around a central point, or something that recurs in cycles. This guide covers how to express these ideas naturally in Japanese.
Describing something that physically rotates or spins around an axis or center.
The most common and neutral verb for 'revolve' or 'rotate'. Used for wheels, planets, machinery, etc.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
This is a revolving door.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to turn', 'to spin', or 'to go around'. More casual and common in everyday speech than 回転する.
Transitive verb meaning 'to turn (something)' or 'to spin (something)'. Use when someone causes the revolving.
Means 'to revolve' or 'to circle', often used for aircraft, birds, or vehicles making a circular movement. More technical or literary.
A helicopter is revolving overhead.
Describing events, seasons, or systems that repeat in a regular cycle.
Means 'to circulate' or 'to cycle'. Used for recurring patterns, economic cycles, or natural cycles.
The four seasons revolve in a cycle.
The economy has revolving cycles.
Means 'to repeat'. Often used for recurring events or actions, though it doesn't inherently imply a circular motion.
Adjective meaning 'periodic' or 'cyclical'. Used in scientific or formal contexts.
This phenomenon occurs on a revolving (periodic) basis.
Referring to financial arrangements where credit or funds are continuously available as repayments are made.
The standard term for 'revolving payment' or 'revolving credit'. Often shortened to リボ払い in casual contexts.
This card supports revolving payments.
Casual abbreviation of リボルビング払い. Very common in everyday conversation about credit cards.
A direct translation of 'revolving credit', but rarely used. リボルビング払い is much more common.
This term is not commonly used; stick to リボルビング払い or リボ払い.
回転する is more formal and often used for mechanical or astronomical rotation. 回る is the everyday intransitive verb for spinning or going around. Use 回す when you need a transitive verb (to turn something).
The Ferris wheel is revolving.
He turned the steering wheel.
For abstract cycles like seasons or economic trends, 循環する is more natural than 回転する. 回転する implies a physical rotation.
The economy goes through cycles.
The windmill is revolving in the wind.
Please turn the steering wheel.
It is said that history revolves (repeats itself).
リボ払いにすると手数料がかかります。
If you use revolving payment, there will be a fee.
The term 'revolving credit' is not commonly used.