How to say "shift" in Japanese

• 動くうごくJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbCovers 'shift' as in something moving or changing position on its own. For most physical senses of 'shift', however, 'move' is the closer translation, so reach for this when movement itself is the point.
  私は家いえの中なかで何なんかが動うごくのを感かんじた。↗

  I felt something move in the house.
• シフトCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA loanword used for 'shift' as a work roster or a change/switch, as in shifting schedules or paradigms. When you want the noun or the flavor of English 'shift', this is often the safest choice.
  労働ろうどう集約しゅうやく・資本しほん集約しゅうやくを超こえて、時代じだいはナレッジ・インテンシブへと大おおきくシフトしている。↗

  Surpassing labour intensive, capital intensive, the age has shifted greatly to knowledge intensive.
• ずらすJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbMeans shifting something a little out of place, sliding it slightly — nudging a box aside or moving an appointment. Use it when the shift is small and positional.
  ちょっと椅子いすをずらしてくれない？↗

  Could you move the chair a bit?
• 動かすうごかすJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe transitive counterpart of 動く: to shift or move something, to get it to budge. Choose this when someone or something actively shifts an object.
  ここからあそこへこの石いしを動うごかして下ください。↗

  Please move this stone from here to there.
• 転向てんこうCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA shift in the sense of a change of direction, stance, or allegiance — an about-face or switch in policy or belief. It is not for physical movement; it is really about conversion to a new position.
  コンピューターの仕事しごとから金融きんゆう、会計かいけいなどの仕事しごとに転向てんこうすることは可能かのうである。↗

  It's possible to branch out from computing to jobs in banking, accountancy and so on.

Use 「動く」/「動かす」 for physical movement, 「ずらす」 for sliding something slightly, 「シフト」 for English-style 'shift' in work or change contexts, and 転向 for a shift in direction, policy, or stance.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 動くうごくto move
• シフトshift
• ずらすto shift
• 動かすうごかすto move
• 転向てんこうconversion
• 転ずるてんずるto turn
• 移り変わるうつりかわるto change (with time, the ages, the seasons, etc.)
• 転じるてんじるto turn
• ずれるto slide
• 推移すいいtransition
• 移行いこうtransition
• 交代こうたいchange
• 偏移へんいshift (e.g. redshift)
• 交代員こうたいいんshift (of workmen)
• けた移動けたいどうshift (of binary data)
• けた送りけたおくりshift (of binary data)
• 移り行くうつりゆくto change
• 移し替えうつしかえtransfer
• 平行移動へいこういどうtranslation
• うってがえchange
• 紛らすまぎらすto conceal (e.g. one's grief with a smile)
• ぶれるto shift (position)
• 付け替えるつけかえるto reassign (an expense)
• なすりつけるto lay (the blame on someone)
• 塗りつけるぬりつけるto shift (the blame onto someone else)
• 紛らわすまぎらわすto conceal (e.g. one's grief with a smile)
• 紛らせるまぎらせるto conceal (e.g. one's grief with a smile)
• スライドto shift (e.g. a group of items in a schedule)
• 直ちょくbeing on duty (in a factory)