Translation guide
The English verb "ruffle" has several distinct meanings, from physically disturbing a smooth surface to emotionally unsettling someone. This guide covers the most common uses for learners.
Express the action of making something like hair, feathers, or fabric uneven or messy, often by touching or wind.
General verb meaning to disturb, disorder, or mess up. Commonly used for hair, feathers, or order.
The wind ruffled her hair.
The bird ruffled its feathers.
Colloquial phrase meaning to crumple, ruffle, or mess up, often used for hair or paper.
He ruffled the child's hair.
Specifically means to ruffle feathers or fur against the grain, often in anger or fear. Used for animals.
The cat ruffled its fur.
Describe a light disturbance on water, like ripples caused by wind or an object.
Express causing mild irritation or emotional disturbance, often in the phrase 'ruffle someone's feathers'.
Common phrase meaning to hurt someone's feelings or get on their nerves. Used for mild annoyance.
His joke ruffled her.
Idiom meaning to rub someone the wrong way, literally 'stroke nerves backwards'. Stronger than 'ruffle' but fits the feather metaphor.
Means to disturb or unsettle emotionally. More formal and stronger than 'ruffle'.
The news ruffled him.
Describe the action of rapidly turning pages, often producing a ruffling sound.
Refer to the sewing technique of gathering fabric to create decorative frills.
English 'ruffle someone's feathers' is an idiom. Direct translation like 羽を乱す is not used metaphorically in Japanese. Use 気に障る or 神経を逆なでする instead.
乱す is a general verb for disturbing order or smoothness. くしゃくしゃにする is more casual and implies a crumpled, messy result, often used for hair or paper.
His attitude ruffled my feathers.