Translation guide
The English word "transfer" covers several distinct actions in Japanese. The best translation depends on what is being moved and the context.
To physically or administratively move an object, person, or data from one location to another.
General verb for moving something to a different place. Transitive.
Please transfer the data to a USB drive.
I was transferred from the head office to a branch.
To move or relocate something, often used for people or objects in a more formal or logistical sense.
Please transfer the luggage to the warehouse.
To forward or transfer something like a message, call, or file. Common in tech contexts.
I transferred (forwarded) the email.
Formal term for transporting or transferring, often used for prisoners, patients, or goods.
The patient was transferred to another hospital.
To switch from one train, bus, plane, etc., to another during a journey.
To send money electronically between bank accounts.
To change one's place of work or study within an organization.
To be transferred to a different post or department within a company. Note: same reading as 移動 but different kanji and nuance.
Next month I'll be transferred to the Osaka branch.
To be transferred to a different office, often involving relocation. Common for company employees.
We moved because of my father's job transfer.
To transfer schools. Used for students changing schools.
To legally pass ownership or rights to another person.
To connect a caller to another person or extension.
Both mean job transfer, but 異動 is broader and can include changes within the same building, while 転勤 usually implies moving to a distant location.
The loanword トランスファー is rarely used in natural Japanese except in very specific technical or sports contexts. Use the appropriate Japanese verb instead.
ロサンゼルスで乗り継いで東京に行きます。
I'll transfer in Los Angeles and go to Tokyo.
He transferred to this school last year.