Translation and Meaning of: 漂う - tadayou

The Japanese word 漂う [ただよう] carries a poetic and visual meaning, often associated with something that floats, hovers, or spreads in the air. Whether it's a gentle fragrance, a delicate mist, or even a feeling that permeates the environment, 漂う captures the essence of subtle and intangible movements. In this article, we will explore its meaning, everyday uses, and how it connects with Japanese aesthetic sensitivity. You will also discover practical tips for memorizing it and avoiding confusion with similar terms.

Meaning and Translation of 漂う

漂う is a verb that describes something floating or hovering, whether physically (like leaves in the wind) or metaphorically (like a scent or atmosphere). Common translations include "to float," "to hover," or "to waft," but its meaning goes beyond the literal. For example, the phrase 花の香りが漂う (hana no kaori ga tadayou) means "the aroma of the flowers floats in the air," conveying a vivid sensory image.

Unlike 浮かぶ (ukabu), which indicates concrete floating (like an object in water), 漂う emphasizes lightness and gentle movement. This nuance makes it frequent in literary descriptions and everyday conversations about ephemeral natures or emotions.

Origin and Kanji of 漂う

The kanji 漂 is made up of 氵 (water) and 票 (vote, but here as a phonetic component). Originally, it was linked to objects moving in water, such as driftwood. Over time, it acquired more abstract meanings, reflecting the Japanese tendency to associate natural elements with emotional states.

Interestingly, 漂う is not an extremely common verb, but it appears in specific contexts such as literature, meteorology (fog), or even in art criticism. Its pronunciation ただよう (tadayou) is also uniform, without significant dialectal variations.

Tips for Memorizing and Using 漂う

An effective way to memorize 漂う is to associate it with images of smooth movement: think of incense smoke or falling petals. Anki can help with cards that include sentences like 雲が空に漂う (kumo ga sora ni tadayou, "the clouds float in the sky").

Do not confuse it with 揺れる (yureru, "to sway"), which implies oscillating movement. 漂う is more about effortless drifting, almost ethereal. In media, it appears in animes like "Shinkai" or mangas that explore melancholic atmospheres, reinforcing its poetic tone.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Verb conjugation of 漂う

• 漂う - Base form, intransitive
• 漂い - Passive form, intransitive
• 漂いました - Passive form, intransitive, past
• 漂おう - Conditional form, intransitive
• 漂え - Imperative form, intransitive

Synonyms and similar words

• 漂う (tadayou) - Float; drift; spread (used to describe something that moves freely in the air or water)
• うかぶ (ukabu) - Float; to appear on the surface (usually used in more physical contexts, like something rising to the surface of the water)
• うかんでいる (ukande iru) - To be floating; to be adrift (emphasizes the continuous state of floating)

漂う

Romaji: tadayou
Kana: ただよう
Type: verb
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: to float; High in the air.

Meaning in English: to drift about;to float;to hang in air

Definition: The way things or people spread in a specific place.

Example Sentences - (漂う) tadayou

See below some example sentences:

燃える木の香りが漂う。

Moeru ki no kaori ga tadayou

The burning wood aroma is in the air.

The perfume of wood burning.

• 燃える - burn
• 木 - wood
• の - Possession particle
• 香り - aroma
• が - subject particle
• 漂う - float, hover

控室には静かな雰囲気が漂っている。

Kōshitsu ni wa shizuka na fun'iki ga tadayotte iru

In the waiting room

There is a calming atmosphere in the waiting room.

• 控室 (koushitsu) - waiting room or control room
• には (ni wa) - indicates the location of the phrase, in this case "in the control room"
• 静かな (shizukana) - calm or quiet
• 雰囲気 (fun'iki) - atmosphere or climate
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 漂っている (tadayotteiru) - floating or hovering

夜中には静かな雰囲気が漂っている。

Yonaka ni wa shizuka na fun'iki ga tadayotte iru

During the night

There is a peaceful atmosphere in the middle of the night.

• 夜中には - "midnight"
• 静かな - adjective meaning "silent"
• 雰囲気が - noun that means "atmosphere" or "environment," followed by the particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 漂っている - verb that means "to float" or "to hover," conjugated in the present continuous

おっかない雰囲気が漂っている。

Okkanai fun'iki ga tadayotte iru

A frightening atmosphere is hanging in the air.

There is a terrible atmosphere.

• おっかない - - 恐ろしい (おそろしい, osoroshii)
• 雰囲気 - - Another word in Japanese that means "atmosphere" or "environment".
• が - - a grammatical particle in Japanese that indicates a subordinate clause.
• 漂っている - - 浮かんでいます (ukan deimasu)

墓地には静かな雰囲気が漂っている。

Bochi ni wa shizuka na fun'iki ga tadayotte iru

at the cemetery

The cemetery has a silent atmosphere.

• 墓地 - cemetery
• には - Location particle
• 静かな - calm
• 雰囲気 - atmosphere, climate
• が漂っている - is floating, hovering

彼女の髪は風に漂っていた。

Kanojo no kami wa kaze ni tadayotte ita

Her hair was floating in the wind.

• 彼女 - "Ela" significa "彼女" (kanojo) em japonês.
• の - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• 髪 - means "hair" in Japanese
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 風 - means "wind" in Japanese
• に - particle that indicates action or direction
• 漂っていた - verb meaning "to float" or "to hover" in the past continuous tense

泌み泌みとした雰囲気が漂っている。

Himi himi to shita fun'iki ga tadayotte iru

There is a secretly secreted atmosphere.

• 泌み泌みとした - a phrase that indicates a feeling or atmosphere of melancholy or subtle and persistent sadness.
• 雰囲気 - atmosphere, environment, climate.
• 漂っている - floating, hovering, permeating.

焦げる匂いが漂っている。

Kogeru nioi ga tadayotte iru

The smell of burnt is in the air.

There is a burnt smell.

• 焦げる - verb meaning "to burn" or "to roast"
• 匂い - noun meaning "smell" or "odor"
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 漂っている - verb meaning "to float" or "to hover" in the present tense and indicates that the smell is present in the environment