Translation guide
Describes a gentle, rhythmic back-and-forth or side-to-side motion, often of something tall or hanging. Covers physical swaying (trees, boats, people) and metaphorical unsteadiness (opinions, emotions).
To describe something moving slowly and smoothly from side to side or back and forth, like trees in the wind, a boat on water, or a person rocking gently.
Intransitive verb for something swaying or shaking. The most common and versatile word for physical swaying.
木が風で揺れている。
The trees are swaying in the wind.
船が波で揺れた。
The boat swayed on the waves.
Intransitive verb for swaying or wavering, often with a nuance of unsteadiness or instability. Used for physical objects and abstract things like feelings.
ろうそくの火が揺らいでいる。
The candle flame is swaying.
Intransitive verb for flickering or swaying gently, often used for light, flames, or reflections. More poetic and literary.
水面に月の光が揺らめいていた。
The moonlight was swaying on the water's surface.
To describe a person moving their body rhythmically or unsteadily, such as dancing, staggering, or rocking back and forth.
Transitive phrase meaning 'to sway one's body'. Used for intentional swaying, like dancing or keeping rhythm.
彼女は音楽に合わせて体を揺らした。
She swayed her body to the music.
Describes unsteady swaying, like when dizzy, drunk, or weak. Often implies a lack of control.
彼は酔ってふらふらしていた。
He was swaying drunkenly.
To stagger or sway as if about to fall. Used for a momentary loss of balance.
To describe someone's feelings, opinions, or resolve wavering or being easily influenced.
Also used metaphorically for emotions or decisions wavering. Very common.
彼の決心はまだ揺れている。
His resolve is still swaying.
心が揺れる。
My heart is swaying (I'm torn).
Emphasizes instability or vulnerability in abstract things like trust, confidence, or beliefs.
To be emotionally shaken or disturbed. Stronger than 'swaying', implies agitation or unrest.
その知らせを聞いて彼女は動揺した。
She was swayed (shaken) by the news.
To refer to the act or instance of swaying.
Noun form of 揺れる. Refers to shaking, swaying, or vibration.
電車の揺れで本が読めない。
I can't read because of the train's swaying.
Noun form of 揺らぐ. Often used in scientific or poetic contexts for fluctuation or swaying.
揺れる is the most general and common for physical swaying. 揺らぐ implies unsteadiness or vulnerability, often used for abstract things. 揺らめく is poetic, for light or flames flickering gently.
地震で建物が揺れた。
The building swayed in the earthquake.
自信が揺らいだ。
My confidence swayed.
陽炎が揺らめく。
The heat haze sways.
While 揺れる can be used for wavering opinions, in many cases it's more natural to use 迷う (to be indecisive) or 変わる (to change). Use 揺れる when emphasizing the back-and-forth instability.
He stumbled on a stone and swayed.
My trust in him swayed.
The swaying (fluctuation) of stock prices is large.