How to say "crouch" in Japanese

• うずくまるCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbCovers crouching or squatting with a sense of cowering: the posture suggests fear, pain, or dejection, as when someone huddles on the ground, shrinking into themselves.
  彼かれはうずくまって泣なき続つづけた。↗

  He crouched and went on crying.
• しゃがむJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe straightforward word for the physical act of squatting or crouching down, with no emotional coloring; what you do to pick something up or stay low.
  少すこし離はなれて見みると、その岩いわは人ひとがしゃがんだ姿すがたに見みえる。↗

  Seen at a distance, the rock looks like a squatting human figure.

Use 「しゃがむ」 for the plain physical act of bending down and lowering the body, and 「うずくまる」 when the crouching also suggests cowering, as from fear, pain, or dejection.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• うずくまるto crouch
• しゃがむto squat
• 伏するふくするto crouch
• クラウチcrouch
• 蹲うつくばうto crouch
• かがむto bend down
• 膝を折るひざをおるto bend the knee