Translation guide
The English word 'spinning' can refer to the action of rotating quickly, the process of making thread or yarn, or a type of exercise. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
The wheel is spinning.
She is spinning wool into yarn.
I'm going to a spinning class.
Describing something that is turning around a central point, often rapidly.
General term for rotation or spinning. Can be used for objects, wheels, or abstract concepts.
The wheels are spinning at high speed.
Describes light, continuous spinning or twirling, often with a playful or casual nuance.
The windmill is spinning around and around.
Loanword from English, used in sports, physics, or technical contexts (e.g., spin of a ball, electron spin).
The process of twisting fibers together to form thread or yarn.
The standard verb for spinning fibers into thread or yarn. Also used metaphorically for creating stories or connections.
My grandmother spins wool into yarn.
Refers to spinning as an industrial process or the textile industry. More formal and technical.
A form of exercise using a stationary bicycle, often in a class setting.
The loanword directly adopted for the fitness activity. Widely understood in gym contexts.
I attend a spinning class every week.
A more descriptive term meaning 'indoor cycling'. Can be used when 'spinning' might not be understood.
You can do indoor cycling even on rainy days.
The sensation that the surroundings are spinning, often due to dizziness or vertigo.
The loanword スピン (supin) is used for physical spin (e.g., in sports or physics), not for the fitness activity. For the exercise, use スピニング (supiningu).
Spinning is good exercise.
Put spin on the ball.
紡績工場で綿が糸に加工される。
Cotton is spun into thread at the spinning mill.
急にめまいがして、世界が回っているように感じた。
I suddenly felt dizzy, as if the world was spinning.