Translation guide
The English verb 'vibrate' covers a range of shaking, trembling, and oscillating motions. In Japanese, different words are used depending on what is vibrating, how it vibrates, and the context. This guide helps you choose the most natural expression.
The engine's vibration is transmitted to the steering wheel.
Often used for large-scale shaking like earthquakes or explosions. Can overlap with 振動する but implies a more violent or widespread tremor.
爆発で地面が震動した。
The ground vibrated from the explosion.
Primarily means 'tremble' or 'shiver' for living things, but can poetically describe objects shaking as if trembling.
窓ガラスが震えるように振動した。
The window glass vibrated as if trembling.
To describe a voice, musical note, or sound that resonates or quivers.
Means 'to resonate' or 'to echo'. Used when a sound fills a space or vibrates in the air.
彼の声が部屋中に響いた。
His voice vibrated throughout the room.
Describes a voice that trembles or quivers, often due to emotion.
Can be used technically for sound waves or vocal cord vibration, but less common in everyday speech.
声帯が振動して声が出る。
The vocal cords vibrate to produce sound.
To describe a feeling of excitement, tension, or energy that seems to 'vibrate' in the air or in a person.
Used figuratively for a person trembling with emotion, or a voice quivering.
興奮で体が震えた。
My body vibrated with excitement.
A set phrase meaning 'the air vibrates' with tension or emotion.
緊張で空気が震えていた。
The air vibrated with tension.
Means 'to sway' or 'to waver', but can be used figuratively for emotions or atmosphere.
To describe something like a pendulum, string, or electronic signal that moves regularly back and forth.
The standard term for oscillation in physics and engineering.
弦が振動して音を出す。
The string vibrates to produce sound.
Used for slower, visible swaying or swinging, like a pendulum or a hanging object.
振り子が揺れている。
The pendulum is vibrating/swinging.
振動する (shindō suru) is the most common for mechanical vibration. 震動する (shindō suru) is used for large-scale shaking like earthquakes. 震える (furueru) is for trembling of living things or voices, and can be used figuratively.
スマホが振動した。
The smartphone vibrated.
地震で地面が震動した。
The ground vibrated from the earthquake.
寒さで体が震えた。
My body trembled from the cold.
In many cases, English 'vibrate' is better expressed with a more specific Japanese verb. For example, a phone 'vibrates' is 振動する, but a voice 'vibrates' with emotion is 震える, and a sound 'vibrates' through a room is 響く. Using 振動する for everything can sound unnatural.
彼女の声は怒りで震えていた。
Her voice vibrated with anger.
His heart vibrated with joy.