How to say "rotation" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 回転かいてんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe default word for physical rotation, revolution, turning or spinning of objects—wheels, machinery, engines. If you mean something visibly turning or spinning, this is usually the word you want.
- 自転じてんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbRotation on an axis, as in astronomy—the spinning of the Earth or other celestial bodies. Narrower than 回転: use it when the axis-based sense matters, but 回転 is also acceptable in many such contexts.
- 交代こうたいnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbRotation in the sense of people or things taking turns or being replaced—shifts at work, players being swapped in a game. It means alternation or changeover, not physical turning.
- 回りまわりnounCovers rotation as turning movement, from the verb 回る. In many contexts 回転 is the more natural noun for rotation, so treat 回り as a related option rather than the first choice for the abstract noun.
- nounThe loanword for rotation in the sense of a fixed cycle or order of rotation—rotating shifts, rosters, or playlists. It is not used for physical spinning; for that, 回転 is the word.
Use 回転 for physical spinning or turning, 自転 specifically for rotation on an axis, 交代 for people or shifts taking turns, 「ローテーション」 for scheduled cycling of people or stock, and 「回り」 mainly for turning movement.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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