To cause something to flow or run (e.g. drain, pour, flush); to shed (blood, tears); to spill.
浴槽の水を栓を抜いて流した。
I drained the bathtub by pulling the plug.
彼は感動して涙を流した。
He was moved and shed tears.
グラスにワインをゆっくりと流した。
He slowly poured wine into the glass.
事故で腕から血を流していたが、命に別条はなかった。
He was bleeding from his arm after the accident, but his life was not in danger.
To set something afloat or adrift (e.g. float logs down a river, set a bottle with a letter adrift at sea).
製材所は丸太を川に流して下流へ運んだ。
The lumber mill floated the logs down the river to transport them downstream.
子どもたちは瓶に手紙を入れて海に流した。
The children put a letter in a bottle and set it adrift in the sea.
古い木の舟を修理してから、静かに川に流した。
After repairing the old wooden boat, they gently set it afloat on the river.
To wash away or carry off (e.g. flood or strong current sweeping things away).
大雨で川が増水し、橋を流してしまった。
The heavy rain caused the river to rise and wash away the bridge.
強い雨は畑の肥料を流してしまった。
The heavy rain washed the fertilizer out of the fields.
洗剤で手の油をよく流した。
I washed the grease off my hands thoroughly with detergent.
To broadcast or play (e.g. music over speakers); to send (electricity through a wire).
ラジオ局は試合の様子を全国に流した。
The radio station broadcast the game nationwide.
店内で最新のヒット曲を流している。
They are playing the latest hit songs in the store.
回路に電流を流して動作を確認した。
They ran a current through the circuit to check its operation.
To circulate, spread, or distribute information, rumors, or materials.
誰かがネット上にその動画を流したようだ。
It seems someone posted that video online.
市役所は防災の注意報を全世帯に流した。
The city office distributed the disaster warnings to every household.
彼らは根拠のない噂を意図的に流した。
They deliberately spread an unfounded rumor.
To cruise or drive around (e.g. a taxi cruising in search of passengers); to go from place to place seeking business or audience.
夜になるとタクシーが駅前を流して客を探している。
At night, taxis cruise in front of the station looking for passengers.
営業のドライバーが街を流して新規の顧客を探した。
The sales driver drove around the city looking for new customers.
To cancel, call off, shelve, or otherwise abort a plan, meeting, or bill.
部長は急な事情で明日の会議を流した。
The manager called off tomorrow's meeting due to an unexpected situation.
その法案は委員会で事実上流された。
The bill was effectively shelved in committee.
作業量が多くて計画を部分的に流すことにした。
Because of the workload, we decided to cancel part of the plan.
To forfeit or sacrifice a pawn (in shogi); to deliberately give up a piece as a tactic.
将棋で意図的に歩を流す戦法がある。
There is a strategy in shogi that intentionally sacrifices a pawn.
To do something leisurely or effortlessly; to go through the motions or perform smoothly without much strain.
今日は疲れているので、軽くジョギングを流してきた。
I was tired today, so I went for a light, easy jog.
彼は練習でフォームをあまり気にせずに流していた。
He was going through practice without paying much attention to his form.
To exile or banish someone (send to a distant place as punishment).
幕府は反逆者を遠島に流した。
The shogunate exiled the rebel to a remote island.
古い記録には、罪人が島に流されたと書いてある。
Old records say that criminals were exiled to the islands.
In baseball, to hit the ball to the opposite field (opposite-direction hit).
彼は右打者だが、よく逆方向に流すヒッティングをする。
Although he's a right-handed batter, he often hits to the opposite field.
As a suffix (attached to the masu-stem) meaning to do something inattentively or with little effort (e.g. 聞き流す: to listen without paying attention).
授業の内容をただ聞き流すだけでは身につかない。
Just passively listening to a lesson won't help you learn it.
ポッドキャストを聞き流しながら家事をした。
I did chores while casually listening to a podcast.
広告は聞き流してスキップした。
I skipped the ad, paying it no mind.
To cause a miscarriage or to abort (to terminate a pregnancy).
彼女は望まない妊娠を理由に中絶し、胎児を流す決断をした。
She decided to have an abortion because the pregnancy was unwanted.