How to say "shake" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- noun, counterA noun naming the motion of swinging, shaking, or waving, not the verb; on its own it is seldom the word you want for 'shake' — the verb sense is covered by 振る.
- 揺れるゆれるichidan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: what shakes or sways moves by itself or is shaken — a building in an earthquake, branches in the wind. Use it when the subject itself shakes, not when someone shakes something.
- 振るふるgodan verb, transitive verbTransitive: you wave or shake something — waving a hand or flag, shaking something held in the hand. This is the verb for a deliberate shake or wave made with the arm or hand.
- 揺さぶるゆさぶるgodan verb, transitive verbForceful, vigorous shaking that jolts what is shaken — shaking a person or thing hard. It is also used figuratively, for something that jolts or shakes a person's feelings.
- godan verb, transitive verbGentle, repeated shaking: rocking something softly and rhythmically, such as rocking a cradle or a baby to sleep. Compared with 揺さぶる, it suggests a lighter touch rather than a hard jolt.
Use 「揺れる」 for something that shakes or sways by itself, 「振る」 for waving or shaking something, 「揺さぶる」 for a hard jolt, 「ゆする」 for gentle rocking, and 「ふり」 for the motion as a noun.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- ふりswing
- 揺れるゆれるto shake
- 振るふるto wave
- 揺さぶるゆさぶるto shake
- ゆするto shake
- 震えるふるえるto shiver
- 揺らすゆらすto rock
- 揺らぐゆらぐto swing
- 動くうごくto move
- 揺るぐゆるぐto shake
- 揺るがすゆるがすto shake
- 揺るゆるto shake
- 震撼しんかんshake
- 震え上がるふるえあがるto tremble violently
- 揺れゆれshaking
- 振れるふれるto swing
- 揺れ動くゆれうごくto shake
- おののくto shake (from fear, cold, excitement, etc.)
- 揺すぶるゆすぶるto shake
- 揺り動かすゆりうごかすto shake
- 振り動かすふりうごかすto shake
- 震撼させるしんかんさせるto shake (e.g. the world)
- 揺すれるゆすれるto shake
- 震わせるふるわせるto (make something) quiver
- ぐらつくto be unsteady
- わななくto tremble
- 震わすふるわすto (make something) quiver
- 震うふるうto shiver
- 振り混ぜるふりまぜるto shake up
- 響くひびくto reverberate
- シェイクmilkshake
- ぶんぶんshake (with vigor)
- 顫動せんどうto tremble
- もむto jostle
See also
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