How to say "deflection" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 偏向へんこうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbFor 'deflection' it covers the bending of a beam or stream away from its course, as in physics; more broadly it means bias — a tendency or inclination, often with an unfavourable nuance.
- 偏差へんさnounHere 'deflection' really amounts to deviation: a difference or variation from a standard, average or expected value, the sense familiar from statistics. It is not the word for physical bending.
- 偏針へんしんnounA narrow technical term for the deflection of a magnetic needle — the swinging of the needle in a measuring instrument; outside that setting it is seldom the word you want.
- 苗頭びょうとうnounGlossed for the gunnery sense of 'deflection' (the lateral allowance when aiming at a moving target), but in ordinary Japanese it means a sign or early indication; rarely the word you want.
- nounDeflection as physical bending: the sag or flex of a beam, plate or shaft under load. When 'deflection' means something actually bending or curving, this is the word to reach for.
Use 偏向 for bending a beam or stream off course (or bias generally), 「たわみ」 for structural sag under load, 偏差 for statistical deviation, 偏針 for a magnetic needle, and 苗頭 only in gunnery aiming.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
