踊る
odoru[o̞do̞ɾɯ̟]
To dance in Japanese is to say 踊る (odoru). Wiktionary also lists ダンスする (dansu suru).
Meaning: move rhythmically to music (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 踊る | odoru | [o̞do̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| ダンスする | dansu suru |
The verb is used to describe moving rhythmically to music. When referring to the movements themselves as a noun, you can use ダンス, 踊り or 舞踊.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the native Japanese verb 踊る and the loanword phrase ダンスする. 踊る is used for traditional or general rhythmic movement, while ダンスする specifically refers to dancing to Western-style music or modern dance styles. For the noun forms, 踊り often refers to traditional Japanese folk dances, whereas 舞踊 is a more general term that encompasses various styles, including traditional Japanese dance styles.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 踊る changes its form depending on the tense or polarity: the past tense is 踊った and the negative form is 踊らない.
How do you pronounce it?
odoru
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word for 'dance' can also be used metaphorically to describe things that move or float rhythmically in the air, such as cherry blossom petals.
- Certain traditional dances are performed not for art, but as 奉納舞 (hōnō-mai), which are dances offered specifically as a gift to a deity at a shrine.
- The verb 踊る originally meant 'to jump' in Old Japanese, a meaning recorded in the 8th-century history text Nihon Shoki.
Examples in context
- 踊るのは好きだよ。I like to dance.This sentence shows how to express a preference for the action of 踊る.Tatoeba #8978334 by bunbuku, translation #2703859 by CM
- 踊るのは好きですか。Do you like to dance?This sentence is a way to ask someone if they enjoy the action of 踊る.Tatoeba #2121089 by bunbuku, translation #528107 by fanty
- 踊るよりも歌いたいです。I would rather sing than dance.This sentence compares the desire to sing against the action of 踊る.Tatoeba #1562761 by bunbuku, translation #372050 by saeb
- 「彼は舞踊の名手です。」He is a master of dance.
- 「友達と一緒に踊りたい！」I want to dance with my friends!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Hiroto are talking about a party.
- 陽葵 Himariパーティーで一緒に踊る？Pātī de issho ni odoru?Do you want to dance together at the party?
- 大翔 Hirotoいいけど、僕はあまり上手じゃないよ。Ii kedo, boku wa amari jōzu janai yo.I'd like to, but I'm not very good at it.
- 陽葵 Himari大丈夫！楽しく踊ればいいよ。Daijōbu! Tanoshiku odoreba ii yo.It's okay! We just have to dance and have fun.
- 大翔 Hiroto分かった。じゃあ、お願いね。Wakatta. Jā, onegai ne.Alright. I'll leave it to you then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dance” translations and entries 踊る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 踊る, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
