JLPT N1・N2 Vocabulary – Difference between “揺らす” “揺する” and “揺さぶる”
Table of Contents
1. Difference between “揺らす” “揺する” and “揺さぶる”
2. 揺らす
3. 揺する
4. 揺さぶる
5. Let’s Compare
6. Summary
7. Similer Articles
8. Comment
Q: What is the difference between ”揺らす”, ”揺する”, and ”揺さぶる”?
A: They all share the meaning of “making something move so that it shakes,” but they differ in the strength of force applied and the nuance expressed.
揺らす (JLPT N2)
[Meaning]
To lightly touch or apply a small amount of force to something, causing it to sway
[Examples]
そよ風がカーテンを揺らしています。
A gentle breeze is swaying the curtain.
母親がゆっくりとゆりかごを揺らしています。
The mother is gently rocking the cradle.
Among the three, this is the most neutral expression and is mainly used with the image of “causing a gentle shake.” It does not suggest a major change or strong impact, but rather conveys a soft, natural movement.
[Examples]
風が木の枝を揺らしています。
The wind is swaying the tree branches.
子供がブランコを揺らして遊んでいます。
A child is playing by rocking the swing.
赤ちゃんを抱っこして揺らすと、安心したように寝てしまいました。
When I held and gently rocked the baby, the baby fell asleep peacefully.
揺する (JLPT N1)
[Meaning]
To firmly hold something with the hand and apply somewhat strong force to make it shake
[Examples]
なかなか起きない息子を揺すって起こしました。
I shook my son who wouldn’t wake up and got him out of bed.
木にボールが乗ってしまったので、揺すって落としました。
Since the ball got stuck in the tree, I shook the tree to make it fall.
Stronger than ”揺らす”, this verb conveys a stronger image of shaking something in small, repeated motions.
[Examples]
箱を揺すって中身を確認しました。
I shook the box to check what was inside.
⇒ This describes the action of moving the box up and down.
地震が起きたので、夫の肩を揺すって必死に起こしました。
When the earthquake happened, I shook my husband’s shoulder desperately to wake him up.
⇒ This shows holding his shoulder firmly and shaking it in small, repeated motions.
長い棒で枝を揺すって、バドミントンの羽を落としました。
I shook the branch with a long stick to make the badminton shuttle fall.
揺さぶる (JLPT N1)
[Meaning]
① (Physical) To apply strong force and cause shaking, thereby moving the object
② (Psychological / Figurative) To stir someone’s feelings or mind, making them unsettled, or to give them a strong impression or deep emotional impact
[Examples]
柿の木を揺さぶって実を落としました。（①）
I shook the persimmon tree and the fruit fell. (①)
彼の一言で心が揺さぶられました。（②）
My heart was shaken by his words. (②)
When used in a physical sense, it is characterized by the attempt to shake the entire object with strong force, often resulting in some effect or change to that object.
[Examples]
りんごを落とそうと木を揺さぶりました。
I shook the apple tree to make the apples fall.
⇒ The entire apple tree was shaken with great force, causing the apples to fall.
居眠りしている友達を揺さぶって起こしました。
I shook my dozing friend to wake him up.
⇒ The friend was shaken vigorously, resulting in him waking up.
When used figuratively, it conveys a strong impact on a person’s heart or mind, expressing agitation, deep emotion, or lasting impression. As with the physical sense, the key idea is that it “creates a powerful effect.”
[Examples]
震災のニュースは全国民の心を揺さぶりました。
The news of the earthquake shook the hearts of the entire nation.
⇒ Similar to “caused agitation,” it means the news delivered a powerful shock to people’s hearts.
彼の日本の未来を真摯に訴えるスピーチは聴衆の心を強く揺さぶりました。
His speech, sincerely appealing for Japan’s future, deeply moved the audience’s hearts.
⇒This describes how his words left a profound emotional impact on the listeners.
Let’s Compare
Let’s organize the images of “揺らす,” “揺する,” and “揺さぶる.”
揺らす：Neutral, creates a light shake
揺する：Grasp the object firmly and shake it somewhat strongly in small, repeated motions
揺さぶる：Shake the entire object with great force, creating an impact or change
Now, which verb is most appropriate in the following case?
[Example]
母親は気持ちよさそうに寝ている赤ちゃんを（①揺らして・②揺すって・③揺さぶって）います。
The correct answer is ①.
Since there is no need to wake the baby, the action is imagined as gentle and reassuring, making “揺らす” the most suitable choice.
Next, which expression fits better here?
[Example]
①枝を揺すって木の実を落としました。
②枝を揺さぶって木の実を落としました。
The correct answer is ①.
Since a branch is only part of the tree, “揺する” is the better choice. It depicts the branch being shaken in small, repeated movements.
Finally, consider the nuance between the following sentences:
[Example]
①木を揺すって木の実を落としました。
②木を揺さぶって木の実を落としました。
Both are natural, but there is a difference in nuance.
Sentence ② with “揺さぶる” suggests a rougher action, shaking the entire tree with greater force. It also places stronger emphasis on the result of making the fruit fall.
Summary
[揺らす]
- Among the three, ”揺らす” is the most neutral, adding only a gentle force.
- It rarely gives a strong impact on the object and usually expresses a light movement.
[揺する]
- Stronger than ”揺らす”, it means holding the object firmly and moving it in small, repeated motions.
- It carries the nuance of shaking part of something and thereby causing an effect.
[揺さぶる]
- It is a verb used both physically and psychologically.
- Physical: Emphasizes shaking the whole object with great force, causing effects or changes as a result.
- Psychological: Expresses shaking someone’s heart or spirit, leaving them deeply moved or emotionally affected. Even in figurative use, the common feature is that it brings about a significant change in a person’s heart.
Similer Articles
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