回転・廻転|かいてんkaiten[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
回転回転 is the most common and standard written form; beginners should use it for the meanings “rotation,” “revolution,” “turn,” and “spin.”
廻転廻転 is a kanji-only form that is rarely used, so learners will seldom need to write it.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbrotation; revolution; turn; spin
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbworking (e.g. of one's mind); function
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbturnover (of goods, funds, etc.); circulation; flow (of customers)
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verb, mathrotation; curl
- noun, skiingslalom
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 回転する（かいてんする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 回転します（かいてんします） |
| Negative (nai) | 回転しない（かいてんしない） |
| polite (masen) | 回転しません（かいてんしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 回転せず・回転せぬ（かいてんせず・かいてんせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 回転した（かいてんした） |
| polite (mashita) | 回転しました（かいてんしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 回転しなかった（かいてんしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 回転しませんでした（かいてんしませんでした） |
| Te form | 回転して（かいてんして） |
| Potential | 回転できる（かいてんできる） |
| Passive | 回転される（かいてんされる） |
| Causative | 回転させる（かいてんさせる） |
| Causative passive | 回転させられる（かいてんさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 回転すれば（かいてんすれば） |
| tara | 回転したら（かいてんしたら） |
| Volitional | 回転しよう（かいてんしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 回転しましょう（かいてんしましょう） |
| Imperative | 回転しろ（かいてんしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym旋回せんかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Circling or changing direction, mostly for aircraft and ships, as in 「飛行機が旋回する」. 「回転」 covers turning of all kinds.
- SynonymくるくるCasualColloquial. A mimetic word for something spinning lightly and continuously; vivid in speech. 「回転」 is the objective, noun-like way to say it.
- SynonymスピンNeutralLoanword for spin or rotation, common in ball games, skating and skidding vehicles; also media spin in PR or politics.
- Synonym転回てんかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Turning or reversing direction, as in 「百八十度転回」; stresses the change of direction.
- Synonym回りまわりNeutralA noun: turning, making the rounds, or the surrounding area, as in 「火の回りが早い」. 「回転」 also covers the working of machines, minds and money.
- Synonym回旋かいせんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Spiralling or circling motion, the sense in the bridge name 「回旋橋」; also plant stems twining around a support. In everyday speech say 「回転」.
- Synonym旋転せんてんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Whirling or rotating; rare and almost only seen in writing. Modern usage prefers 「回転」.
- Synonym輪転りんてんWrittenWritten/formal prose. A wheel turning, or turning like a wheel; mostly in 「輪転機」. For ordinary turning, use 「回転」.
- Synonym回転運動かいてんうんどうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Technical term for motion of an object around an axis, common in physics, sports and body-movement explanations. Everyday speech just says 「回転」.
- RelatedめぐるNeutralA verb: to go around or make a circuit, or for seasons and anniversaries to come round again. Focuses on moving along the perimeter or recurring.
- Related循環じゅんかんNeutralRecurrence within a closed system, as in 「血液の循環」「悪循環」; stresses endless repetition. 「回転」 stresses the turning itself.
- RelatedターンNeutralLoanword for a turn — turning round, reversing direction, one change of direction — and also a turn in a game.
- Related一周いっしゅうNeutralOne complete lap or circuit, as in 「グラウンドを一周する」; stresses completing a full circle. 「回転」 stresses the turning itself.
- RelatedローリングNeutralLoanword: the rolling of a ship, a rolling/step-by-step plan, or illegal street racing. Overlaps with 「回転」 only for rolling motions; other senses are not interchangeable.
- Related回すまわすNeutralA transitive verb: to make something turn, as in 「ハンドルを回す」. 「回転する」 usually describes an object turning by itself.
- Related巡りめぐりNeutralA noun: touring or circulation, as in 「血の巡り」「名所巡り」. 「回転」 focuses on objects turning.
- Related周回しゅうかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Circling around something, as in 「周回コース」「地球を周回する」; stresses orbiting along a path.
- Related巡らすめぐらすWrittenWritten/formal prose. A transitive verb: to enclose or surround, to turn one's head or heel, or to think over, as in 「思いを巡らす」.
- Related一巡りひとめぐりNeutralOne round or circuit, also the first anniversary of a death; stresses completing a full circle. 「回転」 stresses the turning itself.
- Antonym静止せいしNeutralAntonym: being still or stationary, the opposite of turning, as in 「静止画」「静止衛星」.
For turning, spinning, or the working of the mind or turnover of funds, use 「回転」. For aircraft circling use 「旋回」, for recurring cycles 「循環」, for going around 「巡る」, and for making something turn 「回す」. The antonym is 「静止」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
- 物体が回ること。物体を回すこと。
- 身体を使って転がったり回ったり宙返りをしたりすること。
- よく機能すること。働きがよいこと。
- （仕入れられた商品が売れて在庫がなくなりまた仕入れるという一連の動きから）よくさばけること。
- 剛体を点または軸のまわりに一定角だけ動かすこと。一般に、回転行列（行列式の値が1の直交行列）によって表現される座標の変換。
- 三次元ベクトル解析において、各点の周りでベクトル場が運動の向きを変えようとする傾向を記述する微分ベクトル場のこと。xyz空間ではcurl, mathbf X=rot, mathbf X=∇× mathbf X。
- アルペン種目の1つで、旗門で定められたコースを通過する時間を競うもの。スラローム。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
