Translation guide
Describes hair standing up due to fear, cold, or static electricity, or objects being placed upright.
Express that body hair (especially on the head or arms) is standing up, usually due to a strong emotional or physical stimulus.
Describe hair standing up due to static electricity, often in a playful or scientific context.
Simple and clear way to say hair stands up because of static electricity.
セーターを脱いだら静電気で髪が立った。
When I took off my sweater, my hair stood on end from static electricity.
Describe an object being placed or standing vertically on its end, like a book or a coin.
逆立つ focuses on the hair itself standing up, while 鳥肌が立つ describes the skin condition of goosebumps. Both are used for fear or cold, but 鳥肌 is more common for 'goosebumps' from music or emotional moments.
感動して鳥肌が立った。
I was so moved I got goosebumps.
Simply saying 髪が立つ can be ambiguous; it might mean hair is sticking up in a messy way, not necessarily from fear or static. Use 逆立つ or add context like 静電気で.
Most common and natural way to say hair stands on end, especially from fear or cold. Often used as 毛が逆立つ or 髪が逆立つ.
怖くて髪が逆立った。
I was so scared my hair stood on end.
寒さで腕の毛が逆立っている。
The hair on my arms is standing up from the cold.
Literally 'goosebumps stand up'. Very common for fear, cold, or awe. Focuses on the skin sensation rather than just the hair.
その話を聞いて鳥肌が立った。
I got goosebumps hearing that story.
Literary or dramatic expression for hair standing on end all over the body, often from extreme fear.
その光景に総毛立った。
The sight made my hair stand on end.
Also works for static, but 逆立つ often implies a more dramatic or fear-related standing. Still acceptable.
静電気で髪が逆立っちゃった。
My hair stood on end from static electricity.
Transitive verb meaning to stand something up. Use を立てる for the object.
本を机の上に立てた。
I stood the book on end on the desk.
Intransitive verb meaning something stands upright. Use が立つ for the subject.
コインが立った！
The coin stood on end!
Means to put something in a vertical orientation. More general than 'stand on end' but often used for objects.
その箱を縦にしてください。
Please stand that box on end.