Translation guide
Describes hair standing up due to fear, cold, or static electricity, or objects being placed upright.
Express that body hair (especially on the head or arms) is standing up, usually due to a strong emotional or physical stimulus.
Most common and natural way to say hair stands on end, especially from fear or cold. Often used as 毛が逆立つ or 髪が逆立つ.
I was so scared my hair stood on end.
The hair on my arms is standing up from the cold.
Literally 'goosebumps stand up'. Very common for fear, cold, or awe. Focuses on the skin sensation rather than just the hair.
I got goosebumps hearing that story.
Literary or dramatic expression for hair standing on end all over the body, often from extreme fear.
The sight made my hair stand on end.
Describe hair standing up due to static electricity, often in a playful or scientific context.
Simple and clear way to say hair stands up because of static electricity.
When I took off my sweater, my hair stood on end from static electricity.
Also works for static, but 逆立つ often implies a more dramatic or fear-related standing. Still acceptable.
My hair stood on end from static electricity.
Describe an object being placed or standing vertically on its end, like a book or a coin.
Transitive verb meaning to stand something up. Use を立てる for the object.
I stood the book on end on the desk.
Intransitive verb meaning something stands upright. Use が立つ for the subject.
Means to put something in a vertical orientation. More general than 'stand on end' but often used for objects.
Please stand that box on end.
逆立つ focuses on the hair itself standing up, while 鳥肌が立つ describes the skin condition of goosebumps. Both are used for fear or cold, but 鳥肌 is more common for 'goosebumps' from music or emotional moments.
I was so moved I got goosebumps.
Simply saying 髪が立つ can be ambiguous; it might mean hair is sticking up in a messy way, not necessarily from fear or static. Use 逆立つ or add context like 静電気で.
The coin stood on end!