What words to express ‘swim’ in Japanese?
泳ぐ、泳ぎに行く、浮かぶ、ぷかぷかする
くらくらする
We can distinguish six meanings of the word ‘swim’ according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries.
Japanese uses different expressions for each meaning.
1. (of a person or animal) to move through water by moving your arms and legs, without touching the bottom
3. to move through or across water
5. to seem to be moving around, especially when you are ill or drunk
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say 泳ぐ.
2. go swimming; to spend time swimming for pleasure
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say 泳ぎに行く.
3. to be covered with a lot of liquid
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say 浮かぶ、ぷかぷかする.
6. to feel confused and/or as if everything is turning round and round
the Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
We can say くらくらする.
Advanced Tips
Meaning No.5 can also be said ゆらゆら or 揺れる.
For example,
The pages swam before her eyes, she seems almost asleep.
ページが彼女の目の前を泳いで、彼女はほとんど眠っているようです。
ページが彼女の目の前でゆらゆらとして、彼女はほとんど眠っているようです。
ぷかぷか has three meanings in Japanese.
- the sound of incessant smoking of cigarettes
- the situations where a light thing floats on water
- sound of blowing a trumpet or flute, etc.
The meaning of 1. and 3. can also be used when you want to describe the situation where someone does them.
We say くらくらする when we feel dizzy and we might collapse.
Kotoba no Hibiki 