Translation guide
The English word "shuffle" covers several distinct actions: walking without lifting feet, mixing cards, rearranging items, and moving with uncertainty. Japanese uses different verbs for each.
To walk by dragging or sliding the feet along the ground, often due to age, tiredness, or reluctance.
Literally 'walk with sliding feet'. This is the most direct and common way to describe shuffling along.
おじいさんはすり足で廊下を歩いた。
The old man shuffled down the hallway.
Means 'to drag one's feet'. Emphasizes the heavy, labored movement, often due to fatigue or injury.
疲れ切って、足を引きずりながら家に帰った。
Exhausted, I shuffled home, dragging my feet.
Describes the unsteady, shuffling walk of a toddler or someone weak. More about wobbling than sliding.
赤ちゃんがよちよち歩き始めた。
The baby started to shuffle around.
To randomize a deck of cards by interleaving or mixing them.
The loanword from English, used as a suru-verb. Very common in card games.
トランプをシャッフルしてください。
Please shuffle the cards.
The traditional Japanese verb for shuffling cards. Often used in compound form カードを切る.
カードをよく切ってから配ってください。
Please shuffle the cards well before dealing.
To change the order or position of things, often in a casual or random way.
Means 'to rearrange' or 'to sort in a different order'. Suitable for playlists, documents, etc.
プレイリストの曲を並べ替えた。
I shuffled the songs in the playlist.
General verb for 'to mix'. Can be used for shuffling papers or items together, but implies a loss of order.
To jumble or mix up haphazardly. More casual and chaotic than 混ぜる.
靴下を全部ごちゃ混ぜにしないで。
Don't shuffle all the socks together.
To shift position, change direction, or act evasively, often due to nervousness or indecision.
Describes fidgeting or shuffling nervously, often when embarrassed or unsure.
彼はもじもじしながら質問に答えた。
He shuffled nervously as he answered the question.
To loiter or hang around without purpose, often moving in a small area. Implies aimless shuffling about.
駅前でうろうろしていたら、警察に声をかけられた。
I was shuffling around in front of the station and got stopped by the police.
Means 'to dodge' or 'to evade' a question or issue. Can be used for 'shuffle out of' a responsibility.
The loanword シャッフル is only used for mixing things like cards or music playlists. It is not used for the walking meaning. Use すり足 or 足を引きずる instead.
Both mean 'to shuffle cards'. 切る is the traditional Japanese term and is widely understood. シャッフルする is a modern loanword, very common among younger people and in casual contexts. In formal or traditional settings, 切る may be preferred.
I shuffled the documents and lost the order.
彼は質問をうまくごまかした。
He shuffled out of the question skillfully.