How to say "acceleration" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 加速かそくnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe default word for acceleration as speeding up: an increase in speed, whether of a vehicle, a process or an activity. When you simply mean 'go faster', this is the word you want.
- 促進そくしんsuru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveReally means promotion, encouragement or facilitation: pushing a plan, project or activity forward and helping it along. Its 'acceleration' is that figurative hastening of progress, not physical speeding up.
- 前倒しまえだおしnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers acceleration only in the scheduling sense: moving plans, deadlines or a payment schedule forward to an earlier date — front-loading. It has nothing to do with speed, so it will not do for speeding up.
- 加速度かそくどnounThe term for acceleration in physics: the rate of change of velocity. Use it for that scientific quantity, not for everyday speeding up or hastening of plans.
- 拍車はくしゃnounCovers 'acceleration' only figuratively, as spurring something on or giving it impetus; it is really 'spur' or 'impetus', and on its own is seldom the word for acceleration, appearing chiefly in the set phrase 拍車をかける.
Choose 加速 for literal speeding up, 加速度 for the physics quantity, 「前倒し」 for moving plans or schedules to an earlier date, and 促進 or 拍車 for figuratively hastening or spurring on plans and progress.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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