How to say "bulge" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 盛り上がるもりあがるgodan verb, intransitive verbA verb for something swelling up or rising above its surroundings — ground heaving, a bump rising, a pile heaped high; the emphasis falls on upward swelling rather than puffing out.
- 膨らみふくらみnounThe noun for the bulge itself: a rounded swelling or puff in or on something, used when you name or point to the swollen part rather than describe the act of swelling.
- 隆起りゅうきsuru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveA noun for a protuberance or projection — land or a surface rising to form a bump that juts out; it leans toward raised terrain and protruding bulges rather than soft puffiness.
- 膨れるふくれるichidan verb, intransitive verbA verb for something swelling out or becoming inflated — a distended stomach, puffed-out cheeks; it pictures the thing itself puffing up with air or fullness.
- 膨らますふくらますgodan verb, transitive verbThe verb for making something swell: to inflate or puff something out until it bulges, used when an agent causes the swelling rather than when it happens by itself.
Use 「盛り上がる」 for something swelling or rising up, 「膨らみ」 for the bulge as a noun, 隆起 for a protuberance or projection, 「膨れる」 for swelling out on its own, and 「膨らます」 for inflating something.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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