1.
to roll dice; to throw dice
Used literally in games, and occasionally figuratively to mean taking a chance.
サイコロを振って六が出た。
I rolled the dice and got a six.
順番にサイコロを振ってください。
Please roll the dice in order.
すごろくで遊ぶとき、サイコロを振って出た数だけ進む。
When playing sugoroku, you roll the dice and advance the number shown.
The standard expression for rolling dice in Japanese. サイコロ (dice) comes from Portuguese (or possibly from 賽, an older word for dice, combined with コロ suggesting rolling). The verb 振る means to shake or swing.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- サイコロを二つ振る: to roll two dice
- サイコロの目: the number shown on a die face
- サイコロが出る: the result comes up
- サイコロ遊び: dice games
RELATED EXPRESSIONS:
- 賽は投げられた: the die is cast (figurative, from Caesar)
- サイコロを転がす: to roll dice (alternative verb)
USAGE:
サイコロ can also be written as 骰子 in kanji, though the katakana form is standard. The word 賽 alone can mean dice in more literary contexts.