Translation guide
The English verb 'rotate' can refer to turning around a center point, taking turns in a sequence, or changing the orientation of something. This guide covers the most common Japanese expressions for these meanings, from physical rotation to job rotation and screen orientation.
Describing something spinning or revolving around a central point, like a wheel, a planet, or a top.
The most general and common word for rotation around an axis. Used for wheels, motors, planets, and abstract rotation.
The Earth rotates on its axis.
The tires are rotating at high speed.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to turn' or 'to spin'. Often used for things that rotate naturally or automatically, like a fan or a record.
The electric fan is rotating.
The record rotates.
Transitive verb meaning 'to turn' or 'to rotate' something. Use when you are causing the rotation.
Turn the steering wheel.
Please rotate the knob to the right.
Specifically means 'to rotate on its own axis', used for planets or spinning objects. More technical than 回転する.
The moon rotates on its axis while revolving around the Earth.
Describing people or things taking turns in a cycle, such as rotating duties, shifts, or crops.
Means 'to take turns' or 'to alternate'. Used for people rotating shifts, positions, or duties.
We rotated driving duties.
Rotate day and night shifts.
Loanword from English 'rotation'. Commonly used in business, sports, and farming for systematic rotation.
Rotate jobs.
Means 'to do in rotation' or 'by turns'. Often used for scheduled duties like cleaning or patrol.
Rotate cleaning duties.
Turning something to face a different direction, like rotating an image, a screen, or a physical object.
Causative form of 回転する, meaning 'to make something rotate'. Used for rotating objects or images.
Rotate the image 90 degrees.
Rotate the screen.
Literally 'change the direction'. A more general phrase for reorienting something, not necessarily a full rotation.
Rotate the furniture (change its orientation).
As above, the transitive verb for turning something. Works for rotating objects physically.
回転する is a formal, technical term for rotation around an axis. 回る is the intransitive everyday verb for spinning or turning (something turns by itself). 回す is the transitive verb (someone turns something). Use 回る for automatic rotation and 回す when you are actively rotating something.
回転する is only for physical rotation. For rotating duties or shifts, use 交代する or ローテーションする. Using 回転する for people would sound like they are spinning around.
Please rotate the tires every 5,000 miles.
In automotive context, ローテーション is standard for tire rotation.
The Earth rotates once every 24 hours.
We rotate the leadership role each month.
Rotate crops.
Rotate the box so the label is visible.