Translation guide
The English word 'dribbling' has two main uses: in sports (controlling a ball with small touches) and in everyday life (a liquid flowing in drops or a thin stream). This guide covers both, with a focus on natural Japanese expressions.
To move a ball forward while maintaining control, typically in soccer or basketball.
The most common and direct equivalent for 'dribbling' in sports. Used as a noun and a suru-verb (ドリブルする).
To describe a liquid (e.g., water, saliva, sauce) falling or flowing slowly in small amounts.
The loanword ドリブル is only used for sports. For liquids, use verbs like 垂れる or 滴る.
彼はドリブルが上手だ。
He is good at dribbling.
ドリブルで相手を抜いた。
He beat the opponent with his dribbling.
The verb form. Use this when describing the action of dribbling.
彼はボールをドリブルした。
He dribbled the ball.
A general verb for liquid dripping or hanging down. Can be used for water, sauce, saliva, etc. Intransitive; the liquid itself is the subject.
蛇口から水が垂れている。
Water is dribbling from the faucet.
赤ちゃんのよだれが垂れている。
The baby's drool is dribbling down.
To drip or trickle, often used for thicker liquids or in more literary contexts. Emphasizes the falling of individual drops.
汗が額から滴り落ちた。
Sweat dribbled down from his forehead.
Onomatopoeic phrase for liquid falling in drops, often with a splashing sound. Casual and descriptive.
ソースがぽたぽた落ちた。
The sauce dribbled down in drops.
Onomatopoeic phrase for a thin, continuous trickle. Often used for viscous liquids like syrup or blood.
傷口から血がたらたら流れていた。
Blood was dribbling from the wound.