Translation guide
The act of changing direction or turning aside, or causing something to do so. In Japanese, the expression depends on what is being deflected (physical objects, light, questions, attacks, etc.) and whether it is intentional or natural.
To cause a moving object to change direction, often by hitting or blocking it.
Transitive verb meaning to turn aside or deflect something. Commonly used for physical objects like balls, punches, or arrows.
彼はボールをそらした。
He deflected the ball.
盾で矢をそらす。
Deflect an arrow with a shield.
Intransitive verb meaning to turn aside or be deflected. Used when the subject itself changes direction.
ボールがゴールポストに当たってそれた。
The ball hit the goalpost and deflected.
Technical term meaning to cause deflection or deviation, often used in physics or engineering contexts.
磁場が電子ビームを偏向させる。
The magnetic field deflects the electron beam.
To avoid answering a question or to redirect a conversation away from an uncomfortable topic.
To dodge or parry, used both physically and metaphorically for avoiding questions or attacks.
彼は質問をうまくかわした。
He skillfully deflected the question.
To change the subject or divert the conversation. Very common for deflecting a topic.
彼女は話をそらそうとした。
She tried to deflect the conversation.
To evade or dodge a question, often by giving a vague answer or changing the subject.
To shift blame or responsibility away from oneself onto someone or something else.
To shift responsibility onto another person or thing. A formal phrase often used in business or serious contexts.
彼は自分のミスの責任を同僚に転嫁した。
He deflected the blame for his mistake onto his colleague.
To pin the blame on someone, often unfairly. More colloquial and accusatory.
彼は私に罪をなすりつけようとした。
He tried to deflect the blame onto me.
A slight change in the direction of a ball or puck, often unintentional, caused by touching a player.
Loanword from English, commonly used in sports commentary for a deflection off a player.
シュートはディフレクションでゴールに入った。
The shot went in off a deflection.
Descriptive phrase meaning 'the course changed after hitting something'. Used when a loanword might not be understood.
ボールは選手に当たってコースが変わった。
The ball deflected off a player.
The bending or deviation of light, sound, or other waves due to an obstacle or medium.
Refraction, but often used for the bending of light. In physics, deflection can be described as 屈折 or 偏向.
光の屈折によって像が歪む。
The image is distorted due to the deflection of light.
Deflection or deviation, used in physics for beams or waves.
そらす is the most general for turning something aside physically or metaphorically (e.g., a ball, a conversation). かわす implies a skillful dodge, often used for avoiding attacks or questions. はぐらかす is specifically for evading a question by being vague or changing the subject, and can carry a nuance of being slippery or untrustworthy.
彼はパンチをかわした。
He dodged the punch.
政治家は質問をはぐらかした。
The politician deflected the question evasively.
彼は質問をはぐらかした。
He deflected the question evasively.
電子ビームの偏向を測定する。
Measure the deflection of the electron beam.