How to say "stride" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 歩ほnounReally the word for a step: a single step or the act of stepping, as in counting steps. It covers neither gait nor stride length, so it is seldom what you want for 'stride'.
- 足取りあしどりnounCovers 'stride' as a person's gait — the way they walk, often described as light, heavy, brisk, or unsteady. Use it when narrating how someone moves rather than measuring their steps.
- 歩幅ほはばnounCovers 'stride' as the measurable length of a step — the distance between successive steps. This is the word for talking about someone's stride being long or short, or about lengthening it.
For 'stride', choose 「足取り」 for a person's gait, 歩幅 for the length of the steps, and 歩 only when you simply mean a single step.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
