Translation guide
The English word 'stretch' covers many physical and figurative meanings. This guide organizes them by the intended meaning, from physical extension to time, effort, and exaggeration.
To make something longer or wider by pulling, or to extend your limbs.
Transitive verb meaning to stretch something out, like arms, legs, or an elastic object.
Please stretch out your arm and grab it.
If you stretch rubber, it returns to its original shape.
Intransitive verb meaning to stretch (by itself), become longer, or extend.
I grew taller (my height stretched).
This fabric stretches well.
To pull or stretch something by pulling. Often used for stretching something taut.
Pull the rope to stretch it taut.
To extend your limbs and muscles to relieve stiffness or as part of exercise.
To cover a large area or reach from one point to another.
Intransitive verb meaning to spread out, extend, or stretch over an area.
The desert stretches as far as the eye can see.
Often used for roads, lines, or schedules extending. Note: same reading as 伸びる but different kanji for spatial extension.
To continue over a duration, often longer than expected.
To use money, food, or supplies sparingly so they last longer.
Pattern: save/conserve something to make it last. Replace 〜 with the resource.
Stretch the food budget to last until the end of the month.
To manage with limited resources, make ends meet, stretch a budget.
We're stretching a small budget.
To make something seem more than it is, often in storytelling.
To make someone use all their abilities or work harder than usual.
To make someone stretch their abilities. Formal.
This job will really stretch him.
Literally 'stand on tiptoe', figuratively 'overreach' or 'push oneself beyond one's current level'.
To become loose or lose shape from wear, or to deliberately expand something.
伸ばす (のばす) is for physical stretching (limbs, elastic). 延ばす (のばす) is for extending time or length (deadline, route). They share the same reading but different kanji.
ストレッチする is only for exercise stretching. For stretching a rubber band or reaching out your arm, use 伸ばす/伸びる.
This road stretches to the coast.
交渉が長引いている。
The negotiations are stretching out.
He's stretching himself by reading difficult books.
Stretch it into shape while it's wet.