How to say "bend" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 曲がるまがるgodan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: something bends, curves or warps on its own — a road, a pipe. The everyday verb for a road that bends, and also for turning left or right at a corner.
- 曲げるまげるichidan verb, transitive verbTransitive: someone bends something — a wire, a rod, an arm or knee — or bows by bending the head or body. Choose this whenever a person or force bends an object.
- nounLoanword noun for a corner or bend — chiefly a bend in a road, course or track where you turn, as in driving or racing. It names the place, not the act of bending.
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbLoanword for a curve or bend — the smooth curve of a road or course, or of the path something travels. Near コーナー, but it points to the curved shape rather than the turning point.
- 折り曲げるおりまげるichidan verb, transitive verbTo bend something with a fold or sharp angle — bending wire or metal back on itself, doubling it. More specific than 曲げる: use it when bending amounts to folding, or turning something up or down.
Use 「曲がる」 for something that bends or curves by itself, 「曲げる」 for bending something, 「折り曲げる」 when bending means folding back, and the loanwords 「コーナー」 and 「カーブ」 for bends in roads or courses.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 曲がるまがるto bend
- 曲げるまげるto bend
- コーナーcorner
- カーブcurve
- 折り曲げるおりまげるto bend
- なびくto bend
- 歪むゆがむto warp
- 曲がりまがりcurvature
- 湾曲わんきょくcurve
- 反りそりwarp
- 曲がり角まがりかど(street) corner
- 傾けるかたむけるto incline
- 反るそるto warp
- しなうto bend
- 歪めるゆがめるto bend
- 反らすそらすto bend
- たわむto bend
- 折れ曲がるおれまがるto bend
- ベンドbend
- たわみbend
- しなるto bend
- たわめるto bend (a piece of wood, etc.)
- 撓めるためるto bend
- ひん曲げるひんまげるto bend (with great force)
- 反らせるそらせるto bend
- 褶曲しゅうきょくbend
- へし曲げるへしまげるto bend
- 湾曲部わんきょくぶbend
- かがめるto stoop
- 折れおれfold
- 屈まるかがまるto bow (of one's back, e.g. due to age)
- 反り返りそりかえりwarp
- 歪みゆがみcontortion
- ひねくれるto become twisted
- 折るおるto fold
- 屈するくっするto bend (knee, etc.)
- ひねるto twist (a body part)
- 切るきるto curl (a ball)
- しぼるto bend (bow)
- くまbend (in a road, river, etc.)
See also
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