Translation guide
How to express 'stagger' in Japanese, covering physical unsteady movement, arranging things in an offset pattern, and scheduling events at different times.
Describing someone walking or moving in an unsteady way, as if about to fall, due to injury, intoxication, or exhaustion.
Intransitive verb meaning to stagger, stumble, or reel. Commonly used for a momentary loss of balance while walking.
He tripped on a stone and staggered.
Intransitive verb meaning to feel dizzy or unsteady on one's feet. Often used for staggering due to illness, fatigue, or intoxication.
I was staggering from the fever and couldn't walk straight.
Noun meaning 'staggering gait', literally 'plover's feet'. Often used to describe the unsteady walk of a drunk person.
A drunk is walking with a staggering gait.
Adverb + suru verb describing a tottering or staggering motion. Often used for someone weak or unsteady.
The old man staggered to his feet.
Kanji form of よろめく, rarely used. Same meaning but literary or formal written style.
He staggered out of the room.
Arranging objects so they are not in a straight line, often in a zigzag or alternating pattern.
Phrase meaning to arrange things alternately or in a staggered pattern. Literally 'make mutually different'.
Please arrange the chairs in a staggered pattern.
Noun meaning 'staggered arrangement', literally 'plover arrangement'. Used in design, layout, or military contexts.
The parking lot has a staggered layout.
Transitive verb meaning to shift or displace something. Can be used to describe staggering positions by moving them out of alignment.
Arranging events, work hours, or breaks so they do not all happen at the same time.
Noun meaning 'staggered working hours'. Commonly used in business contexts to reduce congestion.
Since COVID, more companies have introduced staggered work hours.
Transitive verb meaning to shift or stagger times. Very common and versatile.
Suru verb meaning to distribute or disperse. Used for staggering attendance or traffic to avoid concentration.
Causing someone to be extremely surprised or unable to believe something.
Both mean to stagger, but よろめく often implies a single stumble or loss of balance, while ふらつく suggests a continuous unsteadiness, often from internal causes like dizziness or weakness.
He staggered but didn't fall.
Staggering from fever, I put my hand on the wall.
よろめく only means physical staggering. For staggering times or arrangements, use ずらす or 時差.
Stagger the meeting time.
He staggered out of the bar.
We need to stagger our lunch breaks.
棚の位置を少しずらして、互い違いにした。
I shifted the shelves a little to stagger them.
Could you stagger the meeting time by 30 minutes?
Please stagger your break times.
Measures to stagger tourist visit times are necessary.
His sudden resignation staggered everyone.