Translation guide
How to express 'stagger' in Japanese, covering physical unsteady movement, arranging things in an offset pattern, and scheduling events at different times.
Describing someone walking or moving in an unsteady way, as if about to fall, due to injury, intoxication, or exhaustion.
Intransitive verb meaning to stagger, stumble, or reel. Commonly used for a momentary loss of balance while walking.
彼は石につまずいてよろめいた。
He tripped on a stone and staggered.
Intransitive verb meaning to feel dizzy or unsteady on one's feet. Often used for staggering due to illness, fatigue, or intoxication.
熱でふらついて、まっすぐ歩けなかった。
I was staggering from the fever and couldn't walk straight.
Noun meaning 'staggering gait', literally 'plover's feet'. Often used to describe the unsteady walk of a drunk person.
酔っ払いが千鳥足で歩いている。
A drunk is walking with a staggering gait.
Adverb + suru verb describing a tottering or staggering motion. Often used for someone weak or unsteady.
おじいさんはよろよろと立ち上がった。
The old man staggered to his feet.
Kanji form of よろめく, rarely used. Same meaning but literary or formal written style.
彼は蹌踉めきながら部屋を出た。
He staggered out of the room.
Arranging objects so they are not in a straight line, often in a zigzag or alternating pattern.
Phrase meaning to arrange things alternately or in a staggered pattern. Literally 'make mutually different'.
椅子を互い違いに並べてください。
Please arrange the chairs in a staggered pattern.
Noun meaning 'staggered arrangement', literally 'plover arrangement'. Used in design, layout, or military contexts.
駐車場は千鳥配置になっている。
The parking lot has a staggered layout.
Transitive verb meaning to shift or displace something. Can be used to describe staggering positions by moving them out of alignment.
Arranging events, work hours, or breaks so they do not all happen at the same time.
Noun meaning 'staggered working hours'. Commonly used in business contexts to reduce congestion.
コロナ以降、時差出勤を導入する会社が増えた。
Since COVID, more companies have introduced staggered work hours.
Transitive verb meaning to shift or stagger times. Very common and versatile.
Suru verb meaning to distribute or disperse. Used for staggering attendance or traffic to avoid concentration.
観光客の訪問時間を分散させる対策が必要だ。
Measures to stagger tourist visit times are necessary.
Causing someone to be extremely surprised or unable to believe something.
Causative form of 驚く (to be surprised). Means to astonish or stagger someone with surprise.
そのニュースは世界中の人々を驚かせた。
The news staggered people around the world.
Causative of 仰天する (to be amazed/flabbergasted). Stronger than 驚かせる, implies being dumbfounded.
彼の突然の辞職は皆を仰天させた。
His sudden resignation staggered everyone.
Both mean to stagger, but よろめく often implies a single stumble or loss of balance, while ふらつく suggests a continuous unsteadiness, often from internal causes like dizziness or weakness.
彼はよろめいたが、倒れなかった。
He staggered but didn't fall.
熱でふらついて、壁に手をついた。
Staggering from fever, I put my hand on the wall.
よろめく only means physical staggering. For staggering times or arrangements, use ずらす or 時差.
会議の時間をずらす。
Stagger the meeting time.
彼はバーからよろめきながら出てきた。
He staggered out of the bar.
昼休みをずらす必要がある。
We need to stagger our lunch breaks.
I shifted the shelves a little to stagger them.
Could you stagger the meeting time by 30 minutes?
休憩時間をずらして取ってください。
Please stagger your break times.