Translation guide
The English word "swell" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses for learners: physical expansion, increase in amount or intensity, emotional feelings, and the noun meaning a wave or rise. It also notes the dated slang adjective meaning "excellent."
To describe something increasing in size, often due to internal pressure, injury, or absorption.
Used specifically for body parts swelling due to injury, inflammation, or illness. Intransitive verb.
足首が腫れている。
My ankle is swollen.
虫に刺されて、腕が腫れた。
I got bitten by a bug and my arm swelled up.
General term for expanding or puffing up, like a balloon, bread dough, or a sail. Intransitive.
パン生地が膨らんだ。
The bread dough swelled up.
風で帆が膨らむ。
The sail swells in the wind.
Similar to 膨らむ but often implies a more noticeable or bulging swelling, sometimes with a negative nuance like puffiness or sulking. Intransitive.
木の芽が膨れてきた。
The tree buds are swelling.
彼女は頬を膨れさせた。
She puffed out her cheeks (in a sulk).
Kanji variant of 膨れる, often used specifically for swelling of the stomach or internal organs. Rare in everyday writing.
食べ過ぎてお腹が脹れた。
My stomach swelled from overeating.
To describe something growing larger in quantity, volume, or strength, like a crowd, sound, or river.
General verb for increasing in number or quantity. Intransitive.
観客の数が徐々に増えた。
The crowd swelled gradually.
Emphasizes a dramatic or excessive swelling in size, amount, or scale. Often used for budgets, numbers, or physical objects.
Used for intensity of sound, emotion, or abstract things rising. Intransitive.
To describe an emotion rising or filling one's heart/chest.
Idiomatic phrase meaning one's heart is full (with emotion), often positive like pride or gratitude.
息子の成長を見て、胸が一杯になった。
My heart swelled with pride watching my son grow.
Verb for emotion welling up from inside, often tears or laughter. Intransitive.
怒りが込み上げてきた。
Anger swelled up inside me.
Can be used metaphorically for feelings like hope or expectation expanding.
To refer to a long, unbroken wave or the rising and falling motion of the sea.
The standard noun for a swell in the ocean, a long wave not yet breaking.
今日はうねりが大きい。
There's a big swell today.
Technical or formal term for ocean waves and swells, used in weather reports.
To express that something is great, cool, or fashionable, in an old-fashioned way.
There is no direct Japanese equivalent for the 1920s-50s slang "swell." Instead, use modern casual terms like すごい, かっこいい, or 素敵 depending on context.
それ、すごくかっこいいね！
That's really swell!
素敵なパーティーだった。
It was a swell party.
Na-adjective meaning lovely, nice, or charming. Closest in tone to the old-fashioned positive sense, though not slangy.
素敵な帽子だね。
That's a swell hat.
腫れる is only for body parts (injury, illness). For objects like wood or bread swelling, use 膨らむ or 膨れる.
ドアが湿気で膨らんだ。
The door swelled from humidity.
膨らむ is more neutral and often positive (balloon, sail, hope). 膨れる can imply an abnormal or excessive bulge, or a sulky expression (頬を膨れさせる).
転んで足首が腫れた。
Her ankle swelled up after the fall.
群衆は千人以上に膨れ上がった。
The crowd swelled to over a thousand.
予算が膨れ上がった。
The budget swelled enormously.
川が雨で膨れ上がった。
The river swelled with rain.
歓声が高まった。
The cheers swelled.
期待に胸が膨らむ。
My heart swells with anticipation.
A high swell advisory has been issued.