Translation guide
The English word 'hop' covers several distinct actions and concepts. This guide breaks them down into practical meanings for learners, from physical jumping to quick trips and informal events.
Describe a small, quick jump, often playful or light.
General verb for hopping, jumping, or bouncing. Used for animals, children, or light jumps.
子供たちが庭で跳ねている。
The children are hopping in the garden.
ウサギが跳ねる。
A rabbit hops.
Specifically means to hop on one foot. Use when you need to be precise.
彼は片足で跳んで遊んだ。
He played hopping on one foot.
Onomatopoeic phrase for hopping lightly and repeatedly, like a rabbit or a child.
カエルがピョンピョン跳ねている。
The frog is hopping around.
Express going somewhere quickly and briefly, often informally.
Very common casual phrase meaning 'go quickly' or 'pop over'. Works for most short trips.
コンビニにちょっと行ってくる。
I'll hop to the convenience store.
Means 'stop by' or 'drop in'. Implies a brief visit on the way to somewhere else.
帰りにスーパーに寄るね。
I'll hop by the supermarket on my way home.
Literally 'fly and go', used figuratively for rushing or hopping over quickly. Slightly dramatic.
すぐに飛んで行きます！
I'll hop right over!
Describe boarding or leaving a bus, train, taxi, etc., in a light, informal way.
Simple verb for 'get on'. Use with context to imply a quick, casual action.
バスに乗って、次の駅で降りた。
I hopped on the bus and got off at the next station.
Literally 'jump on', used for quickly boarding a moving or departing vehicle.
Adverbial phrase emphasizing a light, effortless hop onto something.
彼はトラックにひょいと乗った。
He hopped onto the truck.
Refer to an informal dance party, often from mid-20th century American culture.
Loanword for 'dance party'. Covers school hops, sock hops, etc.
高校のダンスパーティーに行った。
I went to the high school hop.
Direct loanword, but rarely used alone. May appear in retro contexts or as part of 'ソックホップ'.
Describe a brief airplane trip or a leg of travel.
Literally 'short flight'. Natural way to say a hop by plane.
東京から大阪までは短いフライトだ。
It's a short hop from Tokyo to Osaka.
Means 'one section' or 'one leg' of a journey. Used in travel contexts.
次の一区間はバスで移動する。
The next hop is by bus.
Describe the characteristic movement of certain animals.
Same as the first meaning, but specifically for animals. Very common.
スズメが跳ねながらエサを探している。
The sparrow is hopping around looking for food.
Onomatopoeic phrase for a single light hop, often used for frogs or small animals.
カエルがぴょんと跳んだ。
The frog hopped.
The loanword ホップ is mainly used for beer hops or as part of compound words like ホップアップ (pop-up). For the action of hopping, use native verbs like 跳ねる or 跳ぶ.
跳ねる (はねる) implies a light, bouncy hop, often repeated. 跳ぶ (とぶ) is a more general jump or leap. For 'hop on one foot', use 片足で跳ぶ (かたあしでとぶ).
I hopped on the train (just as it was leaving).
They recreated a 1950s sock hop.