How to say "brighten" in Japanese

• 輝かすかがやかすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbThe active, transitive sense: making something shine or light up. The common word, and the natural choice for brightening a room, a scene, or a person's face.
• 明るむあかるむ
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe intransitive sense: something grows bright or light on its own, above all the sky growing light toward dawn. A less common word, but natural for this 'become bright' meaning.
• 色めくいろめく
  godan verb, intransitive verbEssentially about things taking on colour, or an atmosphere stirring with excitement. Seldom the word you want for 'brighten' — at most, for a scene gaining colour or a room livening up.

Use 「輝かす」 when someone or something makes a place or face shine; use 「明るむ」 when something grows bright by itself, like the sky at dawn; 「色めく」 is only a marginal match, for scenes taking on colour.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 輝かすかがやかすto light up
• 明るむあかるむto brighten
• 色めくいろめくto colour