How to say "turn" in Japanese

• 向けるむけるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers turning something to face or point toward a target — turning one's gaze, attention, or steps in a certain direction. It is about orientation toward something, not spinning rotation.
  強盗ごうとうは店員てんいんに銃じゅうを向むけた。↗

  The robber aimed his gun at the clerk.
• 回るまわるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbFor a thing that turns, rotates, revolves, or spins — a wheel, a fan, the earth. The subject is what turns; to turn something yourself, use 回す.
  踊り手おどりてはつま先さき立たってぐるぐると回まわった。↗

  The dancer spun on his toes.
• 回すまわすJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFor turning, rotating, spinning, or twisting something — you turn a handle or spin a dial. Here someone turns the thing, the counterpart of 回る.
  いや、それじゃだめだ。逆ぎゃくになるようにまわしてごらん。↗

  No, that's not the right way. You have to turn it the other way round.
• ターンCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe loanword, heard mainly in set borrowings and for whose turn it is in a game; for physical turning it is seldom the word you want — use a native verb.
• 回転かいてんJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbNames the turning itself: rotation, revolution, or spin, as of a wheel or machine part. Use it when you need rotation as a noun rather than a verb for turning.
  こまはぐるぐる回転かいてんした。↗

  The top went around and around.

Choose 「向ける」 for turning something toward a target, 「回る」 for something that turns or spins, 「回す」 for turning something yourself, 回転 for rotation as a noun or action, and 「ターン」 mostly in borrowed set phrases and games.

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

• 向けるむけるto turn (towards)
• 回るまわるto turn
• 回すまわすto turn
• ターンturn
• 回転かいてんrotation
• コーナーcorner
• 順番じゅんばんorder
• めくるto turn over
• 順じゅんorder
• カーブcurve
• 転ずるてんずるto turn
• ひねるto twist
• 化するかするto change (into)
• 投げ掛けるなげかけるto throw at
• なるto become
• 変えるかえるto change
• 転じるてんじるto turn
• 曲がり角まがりかど(street) corner
• 化すかすto change (into)
• 変わり目かわりめturning point
• 振り向けるふりむけるto turn (around)
• 回音かいおんturn (melodic ornament)
• 曲がり目まがりめcorner
• こねくり回すこねくりまわすto knead
• 身をよじるみをよじるto twist
• 順繰りじゅんぐり(in) turn(s)
• 番ばん(one's) turn
• するto cause to become
• やるto put
• 曲がるまがるto turn
• 繰るくるto turn (pages)
• 下駄げたturn (in set-type proofing)
• 折り返しおりかえしgoing back
• 転回てんかいturn
• 巡らすめぐらすto turn (one's head, heel, etc.)
• 伏字ふせじturn (in set-type proofing)
• 差し向けるさしむけるto direct (attention)
• 切るきるto turn (vehicle, steering wheel, etc.)
• 走るはしるto go (e.g. bad, to extremes)
• 折れるおれるto turn (a corner)
• 回りまわりround