How to say "avoid" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 避けるさけるichidan verb, transitive verbFor the literal, physical sense: keeping your body away from a person or thing so that contact does not occur — dodging a blow or keeping clear of a hazard.
- 怠るおこたるgodan verb, transitive verbThe word for 'avoid doing': it really means to neglect or fail to do something, so it fits when 'avoid' concerns an action left undone — often a duty — not a thing kept away from.
- 逃げるにげるichidan verb, intransitive verbFor evading rather than facing something: dodging a question, shirking responsibility, getting out of a duty. Its basic sense is running away, so the nuance is escaping what you ought to confront.
- 嫌うきらうgodan verb, transitive verbBasically means to dislike or hate; in its 'avoid' sense it amounts to shunning — keeping away from something out of aversion to it, rather than dodging contact or preventing harm.
- 防ぐふせぐgodan verb, transitive verbReally means to prevent or avert: acting so that something undesirable — danger, trouble, an accident — never happens. Choose it when 'avoid' means keeping a bad outcome from occurring, not keeping yourself away.
Choose 「避ける」 for keeping physically away from contact, 「逃げる」 for evading questions or responsibility, 「怠る」 for avoiding doing something, 「嫌う」 for shunning out of dislike, and 「防ぐ」 for preventing or averting something bad.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 避けるさけるto avoid (physical contact with)
- 怠るおこたるto neglect
- 忌むいむto avoid
- かわすto dodge
- 体をかわすたいをかわすto avoid
- 疎むうとむto shun
- 疎んずるうとんずるto shun
- 疎んじるうとんじるto shun
- ブッチto skip (a class, responsibility, etc.)
- 逃げるにげるto avoid (a question, responsibility, etc.)
- 嫌うきらうto avoid
- 防ぐふせぐto prevent
- 免れるまぬがれるto avoid (e.g. punishment)
- 外すはずすto dodge (a question, blow, etc.)
See also
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