Japanese word

運転

Pronunciation

Romajiunten

Meaning

  • noundriving

Example

母は毎日、車を運転します。haha wa mai nichi kuruma o un ten shi ma su

My mother drives a car every day.

Illustration for 運転 (driving)

More examples

姉は来月、運転免許を取る予定です。ane wa rai getsu un ten men kyo o to ru yo tei de su

My older sister plans to get her driver's license next month.

Core concept

Describes guiding and managing a moving vehicle or machine through deliberate control.

Common phrases

  • 運転免許un ten men kyo

    driver's license

  • 車の運転kuruma no un ten

    driving a car

  • 運転中un ten chū

    while driving

  • 安全な運転an zen na un ten

    safe driving

Similar words

操作sōsa: The act of controlling a machine or device through its buttons, switches, or other controls.
操縦sōjū: The act of controlling the direction and movement of a vehicle or craft.

Definition in Japanese

乗り物や機械を動かし操作すること。no ri mono ya ki kai o ugo ka shi sō sa su ru ko to

Word origin

運 (un, "carry") and 転 (ten, "turn") form a Sino-Japanese compound whose parts suggest making something move by directing its course.

Usage tips

  • Japanese uses this noun for both driving a car and operating certain machines, giving it a wider range than the everyday English noun driving.

Other meanings

  • operationnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word