Translation guide
How to express praising someone enthusiastically in Japanese, from casual compliments to formal accolades.
To speak very positively about someone, often to others.
Literally 'to praise to pieces', meaning to praise someone lavishly or excessively. Very common in casual and spoken Japanese.
To speak highly of someone to others, often to promote or endorse them.
To talk proudly about someone, often a family member or close associate.
Means 'to boast' or 'to be proud of'. Commonly used when parents talk about their children.
母親は息子の成績を自慢した。
The mother sang the praises of her son's grades.
褒めちぎる is casual and often implies excessive praise, while 絶賛する is more formal and used in reviews or official statements.
友達が私の料理を褒めちぎった。
My friend raved about my cooking.
新聞がそのレストランを絶賛した。
The newspaper sang the praises of the restaurant.
Do not translate 'sing the praises of' literally as 賛美を歌う. It sounds unnatural. Use the phrases above instead.
彼は上司のことを褒めちぎっていた。
He was singing the praises of his boss.
Means 'to praise highly' or 'to rave about'. Often used in reviews or formal contexts.
評論家たちはその映画を絶賛した。
Critics sang the praises of the movie.
Literally 'to praise with hands off', meaning to praise unreservedly or without reservation.
彼女は新入社員を手放しで褒めた。
She sang the praises of the new employee without reservation.
A more literary or emphatic way to say 'to praise highly', often implying a chorus of praise.
村人たちは彼の勇敢さを褒めそやした。
The villagers sang the praises of his bravery.
Literally 'to stamp a large seal of approval', meaning to vouch for someone or give a strong recommendation.
社長が彼に太鼓判を押した。
The president sang his praises and gave him a strong recommendation.
Standard word for 'to recommend'. Can be used when singing someone's praises in a professional context.
教授はその学生を強く推薦した。
The professor sang the praises of the student and strongly recommended him.
Literally 'to hang on one's nose', meaning to be boastful or proud in a slightly negative way.
Can sound like bragging, so use carefully.
彼は自分の子供の成功を鼻にかけている。
He's always singing the praises of his children's success (in a boastful way).