How to say "roll" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbThe loanword from English, used as a noun: it names a roll of something or the action of rolling up, rather than the motion of something rolling along.
- 巻まきnounA noun for a rolled-up bundle, e.g. of cloth: the thing you get by winding or rolling something up. It corresponds to the verb 巻く.
- 巻くまくgodan verb, transitive verbTransitive verb: to wind, coil, or roll something up, and also to wear something by winding it around you, e.g. a turban or a scarf.
- 転がるころがるgodan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive verb: the subject itself rolls or tumbles, moving by rolling under its own momentum rather than being rolled by someone else.
- 転がすころがすgodan verb, transitive verbTransitive counterpart of 転がる: to roll or wheel something along, and it can also mean to drive a car.
For a roll as a thing, use 「ロール」 or 巻; for rolling or winding something up, use 「巻く」; for something rolling along by itself or being rolled along, use 「転がる」 and 「転がす」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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