Translation guide
The English word 'curl' covers several distinct physical actions and shapes. This guide organizes the most useful Japanese expressions by meaning: curling hair, curling into a ball, curling up (edges), curling a body part, and curling a lip in disgust.
To make hair form into curves or ringlets, or to describe hair that has such a shape.
General verb for curling hair, using a curling iron or rollers. Can also mean to wind or coil something.
I curl my hair.
彼女は毎朝髪を巻いている。
She curls her hair every morning.
Loanword from English 'curl', often used for hair styling. Slightly more casual or trendy feel.
髪をカールする。
I curl my hair.
Intransitive verb meaning hair becomes frizzy or naturally curly, often with a nuance of unruliness. Not for deliberate curling.
湿気で髪が縮れる。
My hair gets frizzy from humidity.
To draw one's body into a compact, curved shape, often for comfort or warmth.
Literally 'become round'. The most natural way to say curl up, like a cat or a person in bed.
猫がソファで丸くなっている。
The cat is curled up on the sofa.
寒くて布団の中で丸くなった。
I curled up in the futon because it was cold.
To curl up or huddle, often from cold, fear, or discomfort. Implies shrinking into oneself.
Literally 'to hold one's knees'. Describes the posture of sitting curled up with arms around knees.
彼女はベッドの上で膝を抱えていた。
She was curled up on the bed holding her knees.
For a flat object like paper or a leaf to bend or roll up at the edges.
To warp or curl upwards, used for paper, wood, etc. Intransitive.
紙が湿気で反っている。
The paper is curling up from humidity.
To curl up or roll up, often used for leaves or edges. Intransitive.
To be turned up or flipped over at the edge, like a page corner. Not exactly curling, but related.
To bend or flex a part of the body into a curved shape, like fingers or toes.
General verb for bending something. Use with body parts to mean curl.
指を曲げる。
I curl my fingers.
彼は足の指を曲げた。
He curled his toes.
To make something round; can be used for curling the body into a ball, or curling fingers loosely.
To raise one side of the upper lip in contempt or disgust.
Literally 'to distort the mouth'. Conveys a sneer or expression of disgust.
彼は嫌悪で口元を歪めた。
He curled his lip in disgust.
Specifically 'to distort the lips', similar nuance.
彼女は軽蔑して唇を歪めた。
She curled her lip in contempt.
Both mean to curl hair. 巻く is the standard Japanese verb and can be used in any context. カールする is a loanword and sounds slightly more fashionable or casual. In formal writing, 巻く is preferred.
美容院で髪を巻いてもらった。
I had my hair curled at the salon.
今日は髪をカールしてみた。
I tried curling my hair today.
カールする is only used for hair styling or occasionally for decorative curls. It cannot be used for curling up your body or curling paper. Use 丸くなる or 反る instead.
彼は寒さで縮こまっていた。
He was curled up from the cold.
葉っぱが丸まっている。
The leaf is curled up.
本の角がめくれている。
The corner of the book is curled up.
背中を丸める。
I curl my back (hunch).