Translation guide
The English word 'tilt' covers several distinct physical actions and metaphorical meanings. This guide breaks them down into practical Japanese expressions for learners.
To cause something to lean or slant, like tilting a chair, a screen, or a box.
The most general transitive verb for tilting something. Works for physical objects and abstract things like one's head.
椅子を後ろに傾けないでください。
Please don't tilt your chair back.
彼は首をかしげて考えた。
He tilted his head and thought.
Literally 'make diagonal'. Common in everyday speech for tilting something at an angle.
画面を斜めにすると見やすいです。
It's easier to see if you tilt the screen.
Used almost exclusively for tilting one's head. More literary or expressive than 傾ける.
彼女は不思議そうに首を傾げた。
She tilted her head quizzically.
To lean or slant on its own, like a picture on the wall or a ship in rough seas.
Intransitive verb for something leaning or tilting. Also used metaphorically for trends or fortunes.
Everyday phrase meaning 'become diagonal'. Natural for describing something that is crooked or slanted.
絵が斜めになっているよ。
The picture is tilted.
The specific gesture of tilting the head to show confusion, curiosity, or thought.
The standard phrase for tilting one's head, often indicating puzzlement or doubt.
彼の説明に首をかしげた。
I tilted my head at his explanation.
To have a bias, tendency, or inclination toward something, like tilting the balance.
Means to be biased, lopsided, or leaning to one side. Used for opinions, distribution, etc.
彼の意見は左寄りに偏っている。
His opinions tilt to the left.
栄養が偏らないように気をつけて。
Be careful not to have a tilted (unbalanced) diet.
Literally 'there is a tilt', used for tendencies or leanings.
彼の考え方には右寄りの傾きがある。
His thinking has a rightward tilt.
In gaming slang, 'tilt' means playing worse due to frustration or anger.
Direct loanword from English, used in gaming communities. Often written in katakana.
負けが続いてティルトしてる。
I'm on tilt after losing so many times.
General phrase meaning 'become emotional', which captures the essence of tilting in games.
感情的になってプレイが雑になった。
I got tilted and my play got sloppy.
In film/photography, tilting the camera up or down.
Technical term borrowed from English, used in film and photography.
カメラを上にティルトしてください。
Please tilt the camera up.
Literally 'swing up and down', used for camera movement in a more descriptive way.
カメラを上下に振って全体を映す。
Tilt the camera up and down to show the whole scene.
The loanword ティルト is mainly for gaming or technical camera contexts. For physical tilting, use native Japanese verbs like 傾ける or 斜めにする.
机をティルトする
tilt the desk (unnatural)
傾ける is more formal and can be used for abstract tilting (e.g., tilting the balance). 斜めにする is casual and concrete, often for everyday objects.
椅子を傾けないで。
Don't tilt your chair.
壁の絵が傾いている。
The picture on the wall is tilted.
彼は混乱して首をかしげた。
He tilted his head in confusion.
Same meaning as 首をかしげる, but uses the less common kanji 傾げる. Slightly more literary.
彼女は首を傾げて「え？」と言った。
She tilted her head and said, 'Huh?'