Translation guide
The English verb "sway" has several distinct meanings: physical back-and-forth movement, influencing someone's opinion, and a graceful, confident way of moving. This guide breaks down these meanings and provides natural Japanese equivalents.
To express physical swaying motion, like trees in the wind, a boat on waves, or a person rocking gently.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to shake, sway, or swing'. Used for objects moving on their own or due to external force. Very common.
木が風で揺れている。
The trees are swaying in the wind.
船が波で大きく揺れた。
The boat swayed heavily on the waves.
Transitive verb meaning 'to shake or sway something'. Use when someone causes the swaying.
彼は体を揺らしながら音楽を聴いていた。
He was listening to music, swaying his body.
Intransitive verb implying a slower, more unsteady swaying or shaking, often used for large structures or abstract things like confidence.
地震で建物が揺らいだ。
The building swayed in the earthquake.
Transitive verb meaning 'to shake or jolt', often with a more vigorous motion. Can also mean 'to extort'.
彼は木を揺すって実を落とした。
He shook the tree to make the fruit fall.
To express changing someone's opinion, decision, or feelings, often through argument or emotion.
Literally 'to move', but used figuratively to mean 'sway' or 'influence' someone's heart or decision.
彼の熱意が私の心を動かした。
His passion swayed me.
Means 'to influence or sway' (literally 'left-right'). Often used for decisions, outcomes, or opinions.
彼の意見が会議の結果を左右した。
His opinion swayed the outcome of the meeting.
Means 'to persuade'. More direct than 'sway', but often used when swaying involves convincing someone.
彼女を説得して計画に参加させた。
I swayed her into joining the plan.
Literally 'to shake the heart', meaning to move someone emotionally or sway their feelings.
その映画は観客の心を揺さぶった。
The movie swayed the audience emotionally.
Transitive verb meaning 'to shake or sway' something abstract like beliefs, society, or a position. Stronger nuance.
To describe a person walking or dancing with a smooth, rhythmic, side-to-side movement, often implying confidence or style.
Literally 'walk while swaying one's body'. A natural way to describe a swaying walk.
彼女は体を揺らしながらステージを歩いた。
She swayed across the stage.
Means 'to move supplely/gracefully'. Captures the elegant aspect of swaying.
ダンサーがしなやかに動いていた。
The dancer was swaying gracefully.
Means 'to wiggle or sway' (hips, body). Often used for a seductive or exaggerated swaying motion.
彼女は腰をくねらせながら歩いた。
She walked swaying her hips.
揺れる (yureru) is the most common intransitive verb for swaying/shaking. 揺らぐ (yuragu) implies a slower, more unsteady motion, often used for large objects or abstract things. 揺する (yusuru) is transitive and implies a more vigorous shaking or jolting.
While 揺れる can metaphorically mean 'to waver' (e.g., 心が揺れる - one's heart wavers), it does not mean 'to sway someone's opinion'. Use 動かす or 左右する instead.
そのスキャンダルは政権を揺るがした。
The scandal swayed the administration.