How to say "wave" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 振るふるgodan verb, transitive verbA verb: to wave or shake something, such as waving a hand or swinging an object. This is the usual choice when English 'wave' is a transitive action you perform.
- 波なみnounA noun for a wave on water, from small ripples to breakers. This is the standard word for ocean and water waves, and also appears in figurative uses of 'wave'.
- nounA loanword meaning a wave on water. It overlaps with 波, and is also heard in other borrowed senses of 'wave'; for everyday talk about sea waves, 波 is the safer choice.
- godan verb, intransitive verbA verb for things that wave or flutter by themselves, such as hair, flags or grass bending in the wind. Use this for inanimate things rippling or streaming, not for waving your hand.
- noun, counterA noun meaning a swing, shake, sweep or wave — that is, the motion itself rather than the act. As a rendering of 'wave' it is marginal; it is really about swinging or shaking movements.
Use 「振る」 for the action of waving something (a hand, an object), 波 or 「ウェーブ」 for waves on water, 「なびく」 for things waving or fluttering in the wind, and 「ふり」 mainly for a swing or shake.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 振るふるto wave
- 波なみwave
- ウェーブwave (on water)
- なびくto bend
- ふりswing
- 翻るひるがえるto flutter (in the wind)
- 振り回すふりまわすto wield
- 周波しゅうはcycle
- 振れるふれるto swing
- はためくto flutter (e.g. a flag)
- 揺り動かすゆりうごかすto shake
- 振り立てるふりたてるto toss (i.e. one's head)
- 振り動かすふりうごかすto shake
- 打ち振るうちふるto brandish
- 波動はどうwave
- 波打つなみうつto wave (e.g. in the wind)
- ひらめくto flutter (e.g. flag)
- 波立つなみだつto wave (e.g. in the wind)
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
