Translation guide
The English verb 'sweep' covers cleaning with a broom, moving quickly or forcefully, spreading rapidly, and more. This guide organizes the most useful Japanese equivalents by meaning.
To clean a floor or surface using a broom or brush.
The standard verb for sweeping with a broom. Transitive.
I sweep the entrance every morning.
落ち葉を掃いて集めた。
I swept up the fallen leaves.
General cleaning, not limited to sweeping. Often used when the action includes more than just sweeping.
部屋を掃除した。
I cleaned the room (which may include sweeping).
To move swiftly and powerfully, often in a wide arc or across an area.
To sweep through and clear out enemies or obstacles. Often used in military or police contexts.
敵を掃討した。
They swept through the enemy forces.
To sweep away completely; to eliminate or clear out thoroughly.
汚職を一掃する。
To sweep away corruption.
To move swiftly, like a sweeping motion. More casual and descriptive.
彼はさっと部屋を出て行った。
He swept out of the room.
To sweep across; to dominate or overwhelm (e.g., a market, a competition).
その新製品は市場を席巻した。
The new product swept the market.
To spread quickly through an area or population, like a trend, disease, or fire.
Intransitive verb meaning to spread or extend. Used for trends, news, fire, etc.
うわさが町中に広がった。
The rumor swept through the town.
火事が一気に広がった。
The fire swept through quickly.
To become popular; to be in vogue. Used for trends and fads.
To spread (of disease, crime, etc.), often with a negative connotation.
感染症が蔓延した。
The infectious disease swept through.
To move systematically over an area to search or examine.
To search for something or someone, often over a wide area.
警察が山を捜索した。
The police swept the mountain.
To patrol or make rounds, often for security or inspection.
警備員が建物を見回った。
The guard swept the building.
To search every nook and cranny; to sweep thoroughly.
部屋をくまなく探した。
I swept the room (searching everywhere).
To win all games, prizes, or categories in a competition.
To sweep the board; to win everything. Common in sports and awards.
彼は賞を総なめにした。
He swept the awards.
To win all matches; to have a clean sweep in a tournament.
チームはリーグ戦を全勝した。
The team swept the league games.
To stretch or curve over a wide area, like a landscape or a gesture.
Intransitive; describes a view or landscape that stretches out.
眼下に平野が広がっていた。
The plain swept away below us.
To draw an arc; to sweep in a curve.
鳥が空に弧を描いて飛んだ。
The bird swept across the sky in an arc.
English 'sweep' has many figurative uses. Using 掃く for non-cleaning contexts will sound unnatural. Choose the appropriate verb based on the intended meaning.
掃く specifically means sweeping with a broom. 掃除する is general cleaning, which may include sweeping, wiping, dusting, etc. Use 掃く when the action is clearly sweeping.
That game is sweeping the nation.