跳ぶ
tobu
The English verb "jump" is translated into Japanese as 跳ぶ (tobu).
跳ぶ refers to the physical act of propelling oneself upward or into the air. The specific kanji used for this verb, 跳, emphasizes the physical leap or jump itself, distinguishing it from 飛, which is used for the general concept of flight.
Meaning: propel oneself rapidly upward such that momentum causes the body to become airborne (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 跳ぶ focuses on the physical act of jumping, you may also encounter the related nouns 跳躍 or the loanword ジャンプ to refer to an instance of jumping. In casual conversation and sports contexts, it is very common to use ジャンプする instead of the more formal 跳ぶ.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 跳ぶ is 跳んだ.
How do you pronounce it?
tobu
Did you know?
- The verb 跳ぶ is a homophone for 飛ぶ, which means 'to fly'. In spoken Japanese, the listener must rely entirely on context to know if someone is jumping or flying.
- In many Japanese children's songs, the sound of a jump or a bounce is represented by the onomatopoeia ぴょん (pyon), which is often paired with the action.
- The kanji used in 跳ぶ, which is 跳, contains the radical for 'foot' at the bottom, visually emphasizing that the action is driven by the legs.
Examples in context
- 猫は窓から飛び出したThe cat jumped out of the window.
- 友達と一緒に川に飛び込んだI jumped into the river with my friend.
- あの子、大きな岩からジャンプしたよThat child jumped from a big rock.
- 高いところへ跳ぶ。Takai tokoro e tobu.Jump to a high place.
- 池に跳ぶ準備はできた？Ike ni tobu junbi wa dekita?Are you ready to jump into the pond?
- もっと高く跳ぶことができるよ。Motto takaku tobu koto ga dekiru yo.You can jump higher.
Example conversation
Himari and Kenta are at a trampoline park.
- 陽葵 Himari健太、一緒に跳ぶよ！Kenta, issho ni tobu yo!Kenta, let's jump together!
- 健太 Kentaいいよ、誰が一番高く跳べるかな。Ii yo, dare ga ichiban takaku toberu kana.Sure, I wonder who can jump the highest.
- 陽葵 Himari私が一番高く跳ぶと思うよ。Watashi ga ichiban takaku tobu to omou yo.I think I'll jump the highest.
- 健太 Kenta負けないぞ！Makenai zo!I won't lose!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 跳ぶ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
