Translation guide
The English phrase "shed tears" refers to the act of crying or producing tears. In Japanese, there are several ways to express this, ranging from literal descriptions to more poetic or emotional phrases. The most common and neutral way is 涙を流す (namida o nagasu).
She shed tears of emotion.
I couldn't help but shed tears watching that movie.
The general verb for 'cry'. While it doesn't explicitly mention tears, it is the most common way to say someone is crying. Often used when the focus is on the act of crying rather than the tears themselves.
The baby is crying loudly.
Literally 'tears come out'. A natural, slightly more casual way to describe tears welling up or flowing, often involuntarily.
Tears came out when I was cutting onions.
I was so happy that tears came out.
Literally 'spill tears'. It has a slightly more poetic or emotional nuance, often used in written language or when describing tears falling gently.
He quietly shed tears.
Expressing crying with a focus on deep emotion, often in literary or dramatic contexts.
Expressing the absence of tears or the act of suppressing them.
The English verb 'shed' does not have a direct one-word equivalent in Japanese for tears. Do not try to translate 'shed' separately; use the phrases above.
涙を流す explicitly mentions tears and is slightly more formal/literary. 泣く is the everyday word for 'cry' and can be used for audible crying or weeping, not necessarily focusing on tears. Use 泣く for general crying, and 涙を流す when you want to emphasize the tears themselves.
She shed bitter tears of regret.