Translation guide
The act of pressing something firmly, usually to extract liquid, reduce size, or fit through a tight space. Japanese uses different verbs depending on what is being squeezed and the result.
To press something so that liquid comes out.
General verb for squeezing liquid out of something like a towel, fruit, or tube. Can also mean to wring out.
I wrung out the towel and hung it up.
I squeezed lemons and made juice.
Same reading as 絞る, but specifically used for extracting juice or oil from fruits, seeds, etc. Often seen in compounds like 搾乳 (milking).
They press olives to extract oil.
To squeeze out forcibly, often used for the last bit of something from a tube or container, or metaphorically for effort.
I squeezed the toothpaste out of the tube.
To press something firmly, often with hands, to change its shape or test firmness.
To grip or squeeze in one's hand. Used for grasping objects firmly.
I squeezed a stress ball.
To crush or squash by pressing. Implies flattening or deforming.
To rub, knead, or squeeze with hands, often in a massaging or crumpling motion.
To force oneself or something through a narrow or crowded area.
To slip or squeeze through a crowd or narrow space, often by moving sideways.
I squeezed through the crowd and got to the front.
To push or squeeze into a line or tight space, often with a nuance of cutting in.
To be packed or squeezed tightly, like in a crowded train.
The train was jam-packed (we were squeezed in tight).
To press a body part, often to extract something or show affection.
To put pressure on someone, often financially or in a difficult situation.
Both read しぼる. 絞る is the common character for wringing out towels, squeezing lemons, or focusing something. 搾る is specifically for extracting liquids like juice or oil, and appears in words like 搾乳 (milking). In everyday writing, 絞る is often used for both.
For hugging or squeezing someone in an embrace, use 抱きしめる (だきしめる) or ハグする. 絞る would sound like you are wringing them out.
I crushed the box and threw it away.
I crumpled the paper to soften it.
列に割り込まないでください。
Please don't squeeze into the line.
To be squeezed by regulations.