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B1 verb #2,000 most common 5 min read

移る

utsuru Top 2,000

At the A1 level, 'utsuru' is introduced in its simplest form: physical movement from one spot to another. Think of it as 'moving seats' or 'moving to a new room'. Beginners should focus on the basic sentence structure: [Place] ni utsuru. It is important to learn that this is an intransitive verb, meaning you are the one moving, or the object is moving by itself. For example, 'I move to the next chair'. At this stage, don't worry about abstract meanings like 'interest' or 'contagion'. Just visualize a person moving from point A to point B in a small space. You might hear it in a classroom when a teacher asks you to move to a different group. The focus is on the physical transition of the subject.

At the A2 level, learners expand the use of 'utsuru' to include moving residences or offices. While 'hikkosu' is the specific word for moving house, 'utsuru' is often used to describe the result: 'I moved to a new apartment'. You also start to see it used for the spread of simple things like a cold (kaze). 'Kaze ga utsutta' (I caught a cold) is a very common A2 phrase. You should begin to notice the difference between 'utsuru' (intransitive) and 'utsusu' (transitive). A2 learners should be comfortable using 'ni' for the destination and 'kara' for the source. You might also encounter it in the context of changing channels on a TV or moving to the next page of a textbook.

At the B1 level, 'utsuru' becomes more abstract. This is where you learn to describe shifts in conversation topics, interests, and focus. For example, 'The conversation moved to politics'. B1 learners should also understand its use in describing the progression of time or seasons. 'The season moves from autumn to winter'. You will also see it used in more complex grammar structures, such as 'koudou ni utsuru' (to move into action). This level requires understanding that 'utsuru' captures the 'flow' of things. You should be able to use it in business contexts, such as moving to a different department (busho ni utsuru). It is a key verb for describing transitions in stories or reports.

At the B2 level, you explore the nuances of 'utsuru' in social and environmental contexts. This includes the spread of rumors, the transfer of fire (hi ga utsuru), and the bleeding of colors in laundry (iro ga utsuru). B2 learners should be able to distinguish 'utsuru' from more formal synonyms like 'idou suru' or 'densen suru'. You will encounter 'utsuru' in news reports discussing economic shifts or social trends moving from one demographic to another. The verb is also used to describe the 'transfer' of a spirit or influence. You should be able to use it naturally in discussions about how ideas spread through a population or how a person's mood can be 'contagious' to others.

At the C1 level, 'utsuru' is used with high precision in literary and academic contexts. You will encounter the related verb 'utsurou', which describes the transient and ever-changing nature of the world (a core concept in Japanese aesthetics). C1 learners should understand how 'utsuru' describes the subtle shifts in societal values over decades. It is used in philosophical discussions about the impermanence of life. You will also see it in technical writing, such as describing the transfer of energy or the migration of populations in a historical context. At this level, you should be able to use 'utsuru' to describe complex, multi-layered transitions where the 'subject' might be an abstract concept like 'the center of power' or 'the zeitgeist'.

At the C2 level, 'utsuru' is mastered in all its poetic and archaic nuances. You can appreciate its use in classical Japanese literature to describe the shifting of shadows or the fading of flower colors. C2 learners use 'utsuru' to articulate the most subtle changes in human emotion or the 'transfer' of cultural heritage across generations. You understand the deep etymological roots of the Kanji '移' and how it relates to the harvest and the movement of grain. In professional settings, you use it to describe the strategic shifting of assets or the evolution of complex systems. You are capable of using 'utsuru' to create vivid, metaphorical imagery in both writing and high-level oratory, capturing the essence of change itself.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

移る in 30 Seconds

Utsuru means to move or shift (intransitive).
Used for moving seats, offices, or houses.
Used for spreading colds, fire, or smells.
Used for shifting topics, interest, or seasons.

The Japanese verb 移る (utsuru) is a versatile intransitive verb that fundamentally describes the movement or transition of a subject from one state, location, or focus to another. Unlike its transitive counterpart utsusu (to move something), utsuru focuses on the subject's own shift. This can range from physical relocation to the abstract passing of time or the spreading of a virus.

Physical Movement: Relocating to a new seat, a new office, or a new house. It implies a change in the 'base' of the subject.

窓際の席に移ることにしました。(I decided to move to the window seat.)

Contagion and Spread: The transfer of diseases, fire, or even smells from one entity to another. It captures the 'jumping' nature of these phenomena.

風邪が家族に移るのを防ぎたい。(I want to prevent the cold from spreading to my family.)

Abstract Shifts: Shifts in attention, interest, or the progression of time and seasons. It reflects the fluid nature of human focus and the natural world.

話題が次のニュースに移る。(The topic shifts to the next news item.)

季節が冬から春に移る。(The season changes from winter to spring.)

香りが服に移る。(The scent transfers to the clothes.)

Using 移る correctly requires an understanding of Japanese particles and verb transitivity. As an intransitive verb (自動詞), it describes what the subject does or what happens to the subject. It is never used with the direct object particle 'o' (を) to mean 'moving something'.

The Destination Particle 'Ni': The particle 'ni' (に) is most commonly used to indicate the destination or the new state the subject is entering. Whether it is a physical place or a new topic of conversation, 'ni' marks the target.

彼は大阪の支店に移りました。(He moved to the Osaka branch.)

The Source Particle 'Kara': To describe the starting point of the movement or the origin of a contagion, use 'kara' (から). This is often paired with 'ni' to show the full transition.

火が隣の家に移った。(The fire spread to the house next door.)

Abstract Transitions: When using 移る for abstract concepts like interest or time, the structure remains the same. The subject (interest, time, focus) moves to a new point.

興味が映画から音楽に移る。(Interest shifts from movies to music.)

時代が移るにつれて、習慣も変わる。(As the times change, customs also change.)

計画を実行に移す。(Wait! This is the transitive version 'utsusu'. Use '移る' for 'The plan moves to the execution stage'.)

You will encounter 移る in a variety of settings, from clinical environments to corporate offices and poetic literature. Its broad range of meanings makes it a staple of daily Japanese communication.

In the Office: Used when employees are reassigned to different departments or when a company changes its physical location. It sounds professional yet standard.

来月から人事部に移ることになりました。(It has been decided that I will move to the HR department starting next month.)

At the Doctor's Office: Doctors and patients use it to discuss the spread of infections or the movement of symptoms to different parts of the body.

インフルエンザがクラス中に移った。(The flu spread throughout the class.)

In News and Media: News anchors use it to transition between segments or to describe shifting political climates and economic trends.

焦点は次の選挙に移っています。(The focus is shifting to the next election.)

本社が海外に移る可能性もあります。(There is also a possibility that the headquarters will move overseas.)

雨雲が東へ移ります。(The rain clouds will move to the east.)

The most frequent errors with 移る involve confusing it with its transitive pair, or using it when a more specific verb like 'hikkosu' is required.

Transitivity Confusion (移る vs 移す): Learners often say 'Hon o tsukue ni utsuru' (The book moves to the desk) when they mean 'I move the book'. Since the book doesn't move on its own, you must use 'utsusu'.

❌ 本を机に移る。
✅ 本を机に移す。

Overusing 'Utsuru' for Moving House: While 'atarashii ie ni utsuru' is correct, the specific verb 'hikkosu' (引っ越す) is much more common and natural when talking about moving your residence.

Natural: 来週、新しいアパートに引っ越します。

Confusing with 'Kawaru' (To Change): 'Kawaru' (変わる) means the subject itself changes its nature. 'Utsuru' means the subject moves to a different place or state. If your opinion changes, use 'kawaru'. If your interest moves to something else, use 'utsuru'.

❌ 意見が移った。
✅ 意見が変わった。

✅ 関心が政治に移った。(Interest shifted to politics.)

鏡に映る (Reflected in the mirror - Different Kanji!)

To master 移る, you must distinguish it from several other verbs that deal with movement and change. Here is a comparison of the most common synonyms and related terms.

移る vs 移動する (idou suru): 'Idou suru' is a more formal, technical term for moving from point A to point B. 'Utsuru' is more common in daily life and covers abstract shifts better.

バスで移動する (To travel/move by bus.)

移る vs 転居する (tenkyo suru): 'Tenkyo suru' is the highly formal version of 'moving house', used in official documents. 'Utsuru' is the general term for the shift.

住所が移る (The address changes/moves.)

移る vs 伝染する (densen suru): 'Densen suru' is the medical/formal term for 'to infect'. 'Utsuru' is the common way to say a cold 'caught' or 'spread'.

病気が移る (To catch a disease - common.)

流行が若者に移る。(The trend shifts to young people.)

色が移る (Colors bleeding/transferring in the wash.)

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Difficulty Rating

Grammar to Know

Examples by Level

となりの席にうつります。

I will move to the next seat.

Simple present/future polite form.

あちらの部屋にうつってください。

Please move to that room.

Te-form + kudasai (request).

猫がベッドにうつった。

The cat moved to the bed.

Plain past form.

前の席にうつってもいいですか？

May I move to the front seat?

Te-form + mo ii desu ka (permission).

田中さんはあっちにうつりました。

Mr. Tanaka moved over there.

Polite past form.

うつりましょう！

Let's move!

Mashou form (suggestion).

どこにうつりますか？

Where will you move to?

Question form with 'doko'.

うつりたくないです。

I don't want to move.

Tai-form (desire) negative.

新しいアパートに移りました。

I moved to a new apartment.

Focus on relocation.

弟に風邪が移ってしまった。

My brother caught my cold.

Te-shimau (unfortunate completion).

次のページに移りましょう。

Let's move to the next page.

Transition in a task.

テレビのチャンネルが勝手に移った。

The TV channel changed by itself.

Intransitive use with 'katte ni'.

彼は東京の支店に移る予定です。

He is scheduled to move to the Tokyo branch.

Yotei desu (plan).

香水の匂いが服に移った。

The scent of perfume transferred to the clothes.

Physical transfer of scent.

席を移ってもらえますか？

Could you move seats for me?

Te-morau (requesting a favor).

火がカーテンに移りそうだった。

The fire looked like it was about to spread to the curtain.

Sou da (appearing/about to).

話が仕事のことに移った。

The conversation shifted to work matters.

Abstract shift in topic.

季節が秋から冬に移る。

The season moves from autumn to winter.

Natural transition.

彼はすぐに行動に移った。

He immediately moved into action.

Idiomatic phrase 'koudou ni utsuru'.

興味がサッカーから野球に移りました。

My interest shifted from soccer to baseball.

Shift in personal preference.

本社が海外に移るという噂がある。

There is a rumor that the headquarters will move overseas.

Noun + to iu (reporting a rumor).

焦点が新しい問題に移っている。

The focus is shifting to a new problem.

Te-iru (ongoing state/action).

時代が移っても、この歌は愛されている。

Even as times change, this song is loved.

Te-mo (even if/even though).

病気が移らないようにマスクをします。

I wear a mask so I don't catch a disease.

You ni (in order to/so that).

赤いシャツの色が白いタオルに移ってしまった。

The red shirt's color bled onto the white towel.

Color transfer.

火事が隣のビルに移る危険がある。

There is a danger of the fire spreading to the next building.

Physical spread of fire.

彼の熱意がチーム全体に移った。

His enthusiasm spread to the entire team.

Metaphorical spread of emotion.

舞台の場面が森からお城に移る。

The stage scene shifts from a forest to a castle.

Scene transition.

不況の影響が地方にも移ってきた。

The effects of the recession have started to spread to the provinces.

Te-kuru (directional movement toward the speaker's time/space).

主導権が野党に移る可能性がある。

There is a possibility that the initiative will shift to the opposition party.

Shift in power/control.

流行はあっという間に若者の間に移る。

Trends spread among young people in the blink of an eye.

Social spread.

住まいを京都に移すことにした。(Wait, this is 'utsusu' - let's use 'utsuru')

I decided to move my residence to Kyoto.

Note: 'utsuru' would be 'Sumai ga Kyoto ni utsuru'.

権力の中心が貴族から武士へと移り変わった。

The center of power shifted from the nobility to the samurai.

Utsuri-kawaru (compound verb for historical shift).

人々の関心は、経済成長から環境保護へと移っている。

People's interest is shifting from economic growth to environmental protection.

Societal shift.

万葉集には、季節の移ろいを詠んだ歌が多い。

In the Man'yoshu, there are many poems about the shifting of the seasons.

Utsuroi (nominalized form for aesthetic change).

技術の進歩に伴い、生産の拠点が海外に移った。

With technological progress, production bases moved overseas.

Ni tomonai (along with).

彼の心は、次第に彼女から離れ、別の女性へと移っていった。

His heart gradually moved away from her and toward another woman.

Te-iku (progression away from the current state).

都市の機能が郊外へと移る「ドーナツ化現象」が見られる。

The 'doughnut phenomenon' is seen, where city functions move to the suburbs.

Technical/Geographic term.

伝統文化の継承が、次世代へとスムーズに移ることを願う。

I hope the inheritance of traditional culture moves smoothly to the next generation.

Abstract inheritance.

議論の矛先が、政府の対応へと移った。

The brunt of the argument shifted to the government's response.

Metaphorical shift (hokosaki).

文明の興亡は、大河の流れが移るが如く不可避である。

The rise and fall of civilizations is as inevitable as the shifting flow of a great river.

Ga gotoku (simile/metaphor).

美意識の変遷は、時代精神の移ろいを如実に反映している。

The transition of aesthetic sense vividly reflects the shifting zeitgeist.

Nyojitsu ni (vividly/faithfully).

存在の根源的な不安が、創作の動機へと移り行く過程を分析する。

Analyze the process where fundamental existential anxiety shifts into the motivation for creation.

Utsuri-yuku (literary progression).

富の偏在が是正され、資本が健全に流動・移転する社会を目指す。

Aim for a society where the maldistribution of wealth is corrected and capital flows and transfers healthily.

Formal/Economic context.

言語の変容は、話者の思考様式が移り変わる様を物語っている。

The transformation of language tells the story of how speakers' thought patterns shift.

Sama o monogataru (narrates the state of).

写実主義から印象派へと画壇の主流が移る契機となった作品だ。

This is the work that became the turning point for the mainstream of the art world shifting from realism to impressionism.

Keiki (opportunity/turning point).

魂が別の肉体へと移るという輪廻転生の思想を考察する。

Consider the idea of reincarnation, where the soul moves to another body.

Philosophical context.

情報の伝播速度が、社会の構造そのものを変容させる段階に移った。

The speed of information dissemination has moved to a stage that transforms the very structure of society.

Dankai ni utsuru (move to a stage).

Common Collocations

席を移る

支店に移る

話題が移る

風邪が移る

火が移る

色が移る

行動に移る

実行に移る

興味が移る

時代が移る

Common Phrases

行動に移る

実行に移る

次の段階に移る

新居に移る

他校に移る

他部署に移る

病気が移る

匂いが移る

手が移る

心が移る

Often Confused With

移る vs 移す

移る vs 映る

移る vs 写る

Idioms & Expressions

Easily Confused

移る vs

Sentence Patterns

How to Use It

nuance

Utsuru often implies a complete shift of base or focus.

distinction

移る is for the subject moving. 移す is for moving an object.

Common Mistakes

Using 'o' particle with 移る.
Confusing 移る with 映る (reflect).
Using 移る when 変わる (change nature) is better.
Using 移る for moving an object (should be 移す).
Forgetting that 移る is a Godan verb (utsutte, not utsute).

Tips

Particle Choice

Always use 'ni' for the destination. 'He moved to Osaka' is 'Osaka ni utsurimashita'.

Sickness

Use 'utsuru' for catching a cold. It implies the cold 'moved' to you.

Transitions

Use 'utsuru' to transition topics in a presentation: 'Tsugi no wadai ni utsurimasu'.

Kanji

Be careful with the Kanji. 移 is for moving, 映 is for reflection, 写 is for photos.

Seasons

Use 'utsuru' to sound poetic about the changing seasons.

Departments

When changing departments at work, 'utsuru' is the standard verb.

Moving

If you move seats in a cafe, say 'Seki o utsurimasu'.

Intransitive

Never say 'Hon o utsuru'. It must be 'Hon o utsusu' or 'Hon ga utsuru'.

Compound Verbs

Learn 'utsuri-kawaru' to describe historical or large-scale changes.

Visualizing

Visualize a 'transfer' sticker moving from one surface to another.

Memorize It

Word Origin

Cultural Context

While utsuru is used for moving, 'Hikkoshi' is the cultural event of moving house, involving greetings to neighbors.

The transition from rainy season (tsuyu) to summer is a major 'utsuru' moment in Japanese life.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Conversation Starters

"最近、どこか新しい場所に席を移しましたか？"

"風邪が移らないように何をしていますか？"

"興味が他のことに移ったことはありますか？"

"いつ新しい家に移る予定ですか？"

"季節が移る時、何を感じますか？"

Journal Prompts

最近、自分の興味が何から何に移ったか書いてください。

新しい場所に住まいを移すとしたら、どこがいいですか？

仕事や学校で、新しいグループに移った時の経験を書いてください。

季節が移り変わる様子を詳しく描写してください。

「行動に移る」ことの大切さについて考えてください。

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, but 'hikkosu' is more common for the act of moving your home. 'Utsuru' is more general.

No, it is intransitive. The transitive form is 'utsusu'.

You say 'Kaze ga utsutta'.

Usually 'ni' for the destination or 'ga' for the subject.

The sound is the same, but the Kanji is different (映る).

It is a standard verb. Use 'utsurimasu' for politeness.

It means to move into action or start doing something.

Yes, 'channeru ga utsuru' means the channel changes.

It is the noun form, often used for the changing of seasons.

Yes, when color bleeds from one cloth to another in the wash.