Translation guide
The English word "slide" covers many different actions and objects. This guide breaks it down into practical meanings and shows how to express each naturally in Japanese.
Describing the action of moving smoothly and continuously across a surface, often with little friction.
The most common and general verb for sliding or gliding. Can be used for people, objects, or vehicles.
The children are sliding on the ice.
The book slid off the desk.
To slide into a place or position, often with a sense of entering smoothly or just in time.
He slid into bed.
The train slid into the station.
Loanword from English, used in specific contexts like sliding doors, camera mechanisms, or presentations. Not for general sliding motion.
The door slides open.
Accidentally sliding due to loss of traction, often resulting in a fall or near-fall.
Entering or leaving a place without being noticed, or moving something discreetly.
The piece of playground equipment children slide down.
Standard word for a playground slide.
The children are playing on the slide.
A single page or image in a slideshow or presentation.
Loanword used universally for presentation slides.
Please go to the next slide.
A thin glass plate for holding specimens under a microscope.
A gradual fall in value, quality, or amount.
The loanword スライド is mainly for presentation slides, sliding mechanisms, or technical contexts. For everyday sliding motion, use 滑る (すべる).
滑る is the native Japanese verb for sliding/gliding/slipping. スライドする is a borrowed verb used in limited contexts like sliding doors, camera lenses, or presentations. Using スライドする for a person slipping on ice would sound unnatural.
She slid the letter into his pocket.
We used prepared slides in biology class.
The slide in performance is a problem.