Translation guide
Describes quick, light, or irregular movement, often of wings, flags, or the heart. Japanese uses different words depending on what is fluttering and how.
To describe the rapid, light movement of wings or a bird flying unsteadily.
To flap wings; the most direct verb for a bird or insect flapping its wings.
鳥が羽ばたいて飛び立った。
The bird fluttered its wings and took off.
To fly fluttering lightly, like a butterfly or a leaf.
蝶がひらひら飛んでいる。
A butterfly is fluttering about.
To dance or flutter in the air; often used for petals, snow, or graceful flight.
桜の花びらが舞っている。
Cherry blossom petals are fluttering down.
To describe something light moving gently or rapidly in the wind.
To flap or flutter in the wind, typically for flags, curtains, or sails.
旗が風にはためいている。
The flag is fluttering in the wind.
To stream or flutter in the wind, often for hair, smoke, or long objects.
To flutter lightly; onomatopoeic for something thin and light moving in the air.
スカーフがひらひらしている。
The scarf is fluttering.
To express a quick, light, or irregular heartbeat due to emotion.
Heart flutters with excitement or romantic anticipation.
彼を見ると胸がときめく。
My heart flutters when I see him.
Onomatopoeic for a pounding or fluttering heart; can be excitement or nervousness.
発表の前はいつもドキドキする。
My heart always flutters before a presentation.
Heart pounds or flutters with anticipation or strong emotion.
冒険の始まりに胸が高鳴った。
My heart fluttered at the start of the adventure.
To describe the quick, light movement of eyelashes.
To flutter one's eyelashes; onomatopoeic for blinking or batting eyelashes.
彼女はまつげをパチパチさせた。
She fluttered her eyelashes.
To describe light objects falling with a fluttering motion.
To fall fluttering; used for leaves, paper, or light objects.
枯れ葉がひらひら落ちてきた。
Dead leaves came fluttering down.
To flutter down gracefully, often for snow or petals.
雪が舞い落ちている。
Snow is fluttering down.
はためく implies a flapping sound or vigorous movement, often for flags or sails. なびく suggests a smoother, streaming motion, like hair or smoke in the wind.
旗がはためく音が聞こえる。
You can hear the flag fluttering.
煙が風になびいている。
The smoke is streaming in the wind.
羽ばたく specifically means flapping wings. Using it for inanimate objects like flags would sound unnatural.
Her hair was fluttering in the wind.