Translation guide
Describes the rising or emergence of liquid, emotion, or sound from within. The most common Japanese expressions depend on what is welling up: tears, emotions, water, or sounds.
Tears welled up from being moved.
Tears overflow, often implying they actually spill over.
I was so sad tears welled up and spilled over.
Onomatopoeic word describing eyes glistening with tears, often used in casual or emotional contexts.
Her eyes were welling up with tears.
Literally 'tears float in the eyes', a slightly more literary or descriptive expression.
Tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn't see ahead.
To describe a sudden surge of emotion from within.
General expression for emotions welling up, similar to tears but for feelings like joy, sadness, or nostalgia.
Hearing about my hometown, nostalgia welled up inside me.
A set phrase meaning 'something wells up inside', often used when the emotion is hard to name.
Literally 'to gush up', used for strong emotions like anger, courage, or joy that suddenly arise.
To describe water, oil, or other liquids rising from a source.
Used for natural springs, water, or oil welling up from the ground.
Hot spring water is welling up.
Similar to 湧き出る but often used in compound verbs or more general contexts.
Implies liquid gushing or spurting out forcefully, like a fountain or burst pipe.
To describe a sound, such as a cheer or murmur, rising from a group.
こみ上げる is used for tears and emotions that rise from deep inside, often involuntarily. 湧き上がる is used for emotions, sounds, or liquids that gush up more forcefully or visibly. For tears, こみ上げる is more common.
Tears well up (involuntary, emotional)
Courage wells up (forceful, empowering)
Do not translate 'well up' literally as よく上がる. This is meaningless in Japanese. Use the appropriate verb for the context.
His speech made something well up inside me.
Courage welled up inside me.
a spring where water wells up
パイプから水が噴き出した。
Water welled up and gushed out of the pipe.