Translation guide
The English word 'spike' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: a sharp point, a sudden increase, and a sports action. It also touches on specialized uses like track shoes and volleyball.
A sharp, pointed object or projection, like on a fence or a shoe.
Loanword from English, commonly used for spikes on sports shoes or sharp metal projections.
He wore spikes for the game.
Refers to thorns, splinters, or sharp points on plants or objects. More general than 'spike' but often used for small sharp projections.
This plant has spikes.
Means 'needle' or 'spine'. Can be used for very thin, sharp spikes like those on a porcupine.
A hedgehog's spikes are sharp.
A sharp, temporary rise in something like prices, numbers, or activity.
Means 'sudden increase' or 'surge'. Commonly used for spikes in statistics, cases, or demand.
There was a spike in the number of infections.
Verb form of the loanword, used in contexts like data spikes or electrical surges.
Access suddenly spiked.
Means 'jump up' or 'leap', often used for sudden price hikes.
In volleyball, to hit the ball forcefully downward into the opponent's court.
Shoes with metal or plastic points on the sole for grip, used in sports like track and field.
A style where hair stands up in sharp points.
Describes hair styled to stick up sharply. ツンツン is an onomatopoeia for something prickly or spiky.
He has his hair spiked up.
Loanword from English 'spiky hair', used in fashion contexts.
Spiky hair was trendy.
While スパイク is used for data spikes, in many natural Japanese sentences, verbs like 急増する or 急上昇する are preferred. Using スパイクする can sound like technical jargon.
Traffic accidents spiked.
Literally 'sudden rise', often used for prices, temperatures, or graphs.
Stock prices spiked.
The spike in prices is a problem.
スパイクを履いて走る。
Run wearing spikes.