Translation guide
The English word 'stretch' covers many physical and figurative meanings. This guide organizes them by the intended meaning, from physical extension to time, effort, and exaggeration.
To make something longer or wider by pulling, or to extend your limbs.
Transitive verb meaning to stretch something out, like arms, legs, or an elastic object.
腕を伸ばして取ってください。
Please stretch out your arm and grab it.
ゴムを伸ばすと元に戻る。
If you stretch rubber, it returns to its original shape.
Intransitive verb meaning to stretch (by itself), become longer, or extend.
身長が伸びた。
I grew taller (my height stretched).
この生地はよく伸びる。
This fabric stretches well.
To pull or stretch something by pulling. Often used for stretching something taut.
ロープを引っ張ってピンと張る。
Pull the rope to stretch it taut.
To extend your limbs and muscles to relieve stiffness or as part of exercise.
Loanword from English, commonly used for stretching exercises.
毎朝ストレッチしています。
I stretch every morning.
Literally 'stretch one's body', a natural Japanese expression.
疲れたので体を伸ばした。
I was tired, so I stretched my body.
To cover a large area or reach from one point to another.
Intransitive verb meaning to spread out, extend, or stretch over an area.
砂漠がどこまでも広がっている。
The desert stretches as far as the eye can see.
Often used for roads, lines, or schedules extending. Note: same reading as 伸びる but different kanji for spatial extension.
To continue over a duration, often longer than expected.
To use money, food, or supplies sparingly so they last longer.
Pattern: save/conserve something to make it last. Replace 〜 with the resource.
食費を節約して月末まで長持ちさせる。
Stretch the food budget to last until the end of the month.
To manage with limited resources, make ends meet, stretch a budget.
少ない予算でやりくりしている。
We're stretching a small budget.
To make something seem more than it is, often in storytelling.
To exaggerate, overstate. Formal and written.
彼は話を誇張する癖がある。
He has a habit of stretching the truth.
Casual/slang: to embellish a story, make it more interesting than reality.
それ、ちょっと盛ってない？
Aren't you stretching that a bit?
To make someone use all their abilities or work harder than usual.
To make someone stretch their abilities. Formal.
この仕事は彼の能力を最大限に発揮させるだろう。
This job will really stretch him.
Literally 'stand on tiptoe', figuratively 'overreach' or 'push oneself beyond one's current level'.
彼は背伸びして難しい本を読んでいる。
He's stretching himself by reading difficult books.
To become loose or lose shape from wear, or to deliberately expand something.
Intransitive: fabric stretches out, becomes baggy.
このセーターは洗ったら伸びてしまった。
This sweater stretched out after washing.
Transitive: to stretch fabric intentionally, e.g., to shape it.
伸ばす (のばす) is for physical stretching (limbs, elastic). 延ばす (のばす) is for extending time or length (deadline, route). They share the same reading but different kanji.
ストレッチする is only for exercise stretching. For stretching a rubber band or reaching out your arm, use 伸ばす/伸びる.
This road stretches to the coast.
交渉が長引いている。
The negotiations are stretching out.
Stretch it into shape while it's wet.