Translation guide
A guide to expressing the English word "strike" in Japanese, covering physical hitting, labor strikes, sudden ideas, and more.
To hit someone or something, or to attack.
General verb for punching or hitting with a fist.
彼は私を殴った。
He struck me.
To hit, strike, or beat. Used in broader contexts, including hitting with an object or striking in sports.
彼はボールを打った。
He struck the ball.
To hit, slap, or knock. Often implies a slapping or pounding motion.
彼は机を叩いた。
He struck the desk.
To attack. More formal or military, used for strikes in warfare or organized attacks.
敵を攻撃した。
They struck the enemy.
A work stoppage by employees as a form of protest.
Loanword from English, commonly used for labor strikes. Often shortened to スト.
労働者がストライキを起こした。
The workers went on strike.
Abbreviation of ストライキ, very common in news and conversation.
バスのストで遅刻した。
I was late because of the bus strike.
To suddenly think of something or have an idea.
To come to mind, to occur to someone. Used for ideas striking you.
いい考えが思い浮かんだ。
A good idea struck me.
To flash into one's mind, to have a sudden inspiration.
Pattern meaning '~ comes to mind'. The subject is the idea.
その時、ある考えが頭に浮かんだ。
At that moment, an idea struck me.
To ignite a match or create a spark.
To strike a match. The verb する is used with マッチ.
The verb する is often used, but 擦る (する) specifically means to strike a match.
彼はマッチをすった。
He struck a match.
To strike (a match). Specifically used with matches.
マッチを擦って火をつけた。
I struck a match and lit a fire.
To assume a posture or adopt a particular attitude.
To strike a pose. Common for photography or performance.
彼女はカメラの前でポーズをとった。
She struck a pose in front of the camera.
To adopt an attitude. More abstract, used for striking a certain stance.
彼は強気の態度をとった。
He struck a defiant attitude.
To reach an agreement or make a bargain.
To reach an agreement. Formal and common in business.
両社は合意に達した。
The two companies struck a deal.
To close a deal, to strike a bargain. More colloquial in business.
彼はうまく取引をまとめた。
He successfully struck a deal.
To find a compromise or equilibrium between two things.
To strike a balance. Very common in everyday language.
仕事と家庭のバランスをとるのは難しい。
It's difficult to strike a balance between work and family.
To maintain equilibrium. More formal, used in economic or political contexts.
需要と供給の均衡を保つ必要がある。
We need to strike a balance between supply and demand.
In baseball, to fail to hit the ball three times and be called out.
To strike out. The standard baseball term.
彼は三振した。
He struck out.
To strike someone out (from the pitcher's perspective).
ピッチャーは打者から三振を取った。
The pitcher struck out the batter.
The English verb "strike" has many meanings that do not translate directly to a single Japanese word. Always consider the specific context and use the appropriate Japanese expression.
殴る (naguru) specifically means to punch with a fist. 打つ (utsu) is a general verb for hitting or striking, often with an instrument or in sports. 叩く (tataku) implies slapping or pounding, and can be used for hitting surfaces or people.
Formal term for a labor strike, rarely used in everyday speech.
同盟罷業が行われた。
A strike was carried out.
突然、解決策がひらめいた。
Suddenly, a solution struck me.