Translation guide
The English word 'shallow' can refer to physical depth, superficiality, or shallow breathing. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning, from common adjectives to idiomatic phrases.
Describing something that has little depth, such as a river, dish, or hole.
The standard adjective for physical shallowness. Used for water, containers, holes, etc.
この川は浅いから、歩いて渡れる。
This river is shallow, so we can wade across.
浅い皿に盛り付けてください。
Please serve it on a shallow plate.
The negative form of 'deep', often used in casual conversation to mean 'not deep' or 'shallow'.
このプールは深くないから、子供でも安心だ。
This pool isn't deep, so it's safe even for kids.
Describing something lacking depth, substance, or seriousness, such as a person, conversation, or knowledge.
Also used metaphorically for superficiality. Common in phrases like 考えが浅い (shallow thinking).
彼の知識は浅い。
His knowledge is shallow.
浅い考えで行動すると失敗する。
If you act on shallow thinking, you'll fail.
Colloquial and slightly derogatory, meaning 'shallow' or 'superficial', often for people or ideas. Literally 'thin and flat'.
Means 'surface-level' or 'superficial'. Often used in formal contexts or to describe analysis.
Literally 'only the surface', meaning shallow or superficial, often for relationships or knowledge.
彼の優しさは上っ面だけだ。
His kindness is only skin-deep.
Describing breathing that is not deep, often due to anxiety or medical conditions.
The standard way to say 'shallow breathing'. Literally 'breathing is shallow'.
緊張すると呼吸が浅くなる。
When I'm nervous, my breathing becomes shallow.
Noun phrase meaning 'shallow breathing', used in medical or descriptive contexts.
浅い呼吸を繰り返している。
He is taking shallow breaths repeatedly.
While 浅い can describe a person's thinking or knowledge as shallow, calling a person 浅い directly (e.g., 彼は浅い) can sound blunt. Use 薄っぺらい or rephrase to describe their ideas instead.
彼は考えが浅い。
He has shallow ideas. (Better than 彼は浅い)
あの人の話はいつも薄っぺらい。
That person's talk is always shallow.
A superficial understanding won't solve the problem.