How to say "orbit" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 軌道きどうnounA noun covering the path an object travels, as in a planet's or satellite's orbit; also 'trajectory'. Use this when talking about the orbit itself rather than the motion.
- 回るまわるgodan verb, intransitive verbA verb meaning to go around or circle; 'to orbit' is one of its senses, used when describing something actually revolving around another thing. For the noun, 軌道 is what you want.その船は岬を回った。↗The ship sailed around the cape.
Use 軌道 for 'orbit' as a noun — the path itself — and use the verb 「回る」 when you want to say something actually goes around or orbits something.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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