Translation guide
The English word 'twisting' can refer to physical actions like turning or winding something, or to abstract ideas like distorting facts or a road that bends. This guide covers the most useful Japanese expressions for these meanings.
To turn or wind something around itself or another object.
General verb for twisting something with your fingers or hand, like a knob, a lid, or a piece of paper. Often used for small, precise twisting motions.
栓をひねって開けてください。
Please twist the cap to open it.
彼は紙をひねって小さな花を作った。
He twisted the paper into a small flower.
Implies a stronger, more forceful twisting, often with a wrenching motion. Used for twisting a towel, an arm, or a screw. Can also mean to wring out.
タオルをねじって水を絞った。
I twisted the towel to wring out the water.
彼は私の腕をねじった。
He twisted my arm.
Similar to ねじる but often implies twisting something long and flexible, like a rope or a vine. Can also mean to distort one's face or body.
彼は痛みで体をよじった。
He twisted his body in pain.
Kanji form of ひねる, often used in writing. Same meaning.
彼は栓を捻って開けた。
He twisted the cap to open it.
Describing a winding, curving road or path.
Verb meaning to wind, meander, or twist and turn repeatedly. Commonly used for roads, rivers, and paths.
山道は曲がりくねっていた。
The mountain path was twisting and turning.
An adjective phrase describing a winding, twisting road. くねくね is an onomatopoeic word for something winding.
くねくねした道を進んだ。
We went along the twisting road.
To misrepresent or alter information in a misleading way.
To distort, twist, or warp something, including facts, truth, or one's face. Often used for intentional misrepresentation.
彼は事実を歪めて話した。
He twisted the facts when he spoke.
Literally 'to bend', but can mean to twist or distort rules, truth, or principles. Often used in phrases like 事実を曲げる (to twist the facts).
A more emphatic phrase meaning to twist or distort a story. ねじ曲げる combines ねじる (twist) and 曲げる (bend).
彼は私の言葉をねじ曲げて解釈した。
He twisted my words and interpreted them wrongly.
To contort or turn the body sharply.
A common phrase meaning to twist one's body, often due to pain, discomfort, or to squeeze through a narrow space.
彼は痛みで身をよじった。
He twisted his body in pain.
To twist one's body, often as a stretch or to look behind. Less intense than 身をよじる.
後ろを見るために体をひねった。
I twisted my body to look behind.
To form something by twisting flexible material.
A phrase meaning 'to make by twisting'. Used for balloon animals, wire shapes, etc.
彼は風船をねじって犬を作った。
He twisted a balloon into a dog.
ひねる is for light twisting with fingers (e.g., a knob). ねじる is for forceful twisting or wringing (e.g., a towel, an arm). よじる is for twisting long flexible things or contorting the body.
The loanword ツイスト (from 'twist') is mainly used for the dance or a twist in a story, not for physical twisting actions. Use native Japanese verbs instead.
He twisted the story to suit himself.