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.
The trees are swaying in the wind.
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.
The candle flame is swaying.
Intransitive verb for flickering or swaying gently, often used for light, flames, or reflections. More poetic and literary.
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.
She swayed her body to the music.
Describes unsteady swaying, like when dizzy, drunk, or weak. Often implies a lack of control.
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.
His resolve is still swaying.
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.
To refer to the act or instance of 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.
The building swayed in the earthquake.
My confidence swayed.
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.
彼は石につまずいてよろめいた。
He stumbled on a stone and swayed.
彼への信頼が揺らいだ。
My trust in him swayed.
She was swayed (shaken) by the news.
株価の揺らぎが大きい。
The swaying (fluctuation) of stock prices is large.