How to say "understand" in Japanese

• わかるJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe everyday, all-purpose word: understanding a meaning, an explanation, a language, or a situation ('I see', 'I get it'). When in doubt about 'understand', this is the one to reach for.
  「博ひろし、君きみの気持きもちは分わかるよ」とマイクが言いいます。↗

  "I understand how you feel, Hiroshi," says Mike.
• 解するかいするCommon
  suru verb (irregular), transitive verbUnderstanding in the sense of appreciating the meaning, significance, or worth of something — the natural choice where English says 'appreciate'. For plain 'I understand what you mean', わかる is the word you want.
  ユーモアを解かいする心こころは、国民性こくみんせいと密接みっせつに結むすびついているが、その結むすびつき方かたは不思議ふしぎである。↗

  The sense of humor is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.
• 心得るこころえるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbUnderstanding in the sense of knowing what one is expected to do: grasping rules, instructions, or proper conduct. Also covers 'regard as' — taking something to be the case — rather than grasping an explanation.
  彼女かのじょは夫おっとの心理しんりを心得こころえている。↗

  She knows her husband's psychology.
• 聞き取るききとるCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbUnderstanding something heard: catching or making out someone's words, following speech despite noise, speed, or an unfamiliar accent. Use it for 'I couldn't make out what she said', not for understanding ideas in general.
  あなたの姓せいが聞き取ききとれませんでした。↗

  I didn't catch your last name.
• 得るえるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbEssentially 'to get, obtain, or gain'; the 'understand' sense is a marginal extension, and this is seldom the word you want for 'understand' — reach for わかる instead.

Choose 「わかる」 for understanding meanings, explanations, or situations in general, 「聞き取る」 for making out spoken words, 「心得る」 for knowing rules or what is expected, 「解する」 for appreciating significance, and avoid 「得る」, which really means 'to obtain'.

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

• わかるto understand
• 解するかいするto understand
• 心得るこころえるto know
• 聞き取るききとるto catch (someone's words)
• 解すげすto understand
• 解すかいすto understand
• 見とるみとるto perceive
• 合点がいくがてんがいくto understand
• 解せるげせるto understand
• 腑に落ちるふにおちるto understand
• 含みおくふくみおくto understand
• 腹に落ちるはらにおちるto understand
• 領するりょうするto own
• 噛み分けるかみわけるto taste
• 諒とするりょうとするto acknowledge
• 意を得るいをえるto get (e.g. the gist of something)
• 諒するりょうするto acknowledge
• 頭に入るあたまにはいるto comprehend
• うかがい知るうかがいしるto infer
• 計り知るはかりしるto conjecture
• ついていけるto keep in pace with
• うなずけるto (be able to) agree (with)
• 知るしるto understand
• 得るえるto understand
• つかむto understand
• 含むふくむto bear in mind
• 受け取るうけとるto take (someone's words or behaviour)
• 飲み込むのみこむto understand
• 悟るさとるto understand
• 汲み取るくみとるto understand (someone's feelings, etc.)
• わきまえるto know (manners, one's place, etc.)
• 汲むくむto consider (feelings, the situation, etc.)
• 了するりょうするto understand
• 読めるよめるto understand
• リアライズto realize
• 酌むくむto consider (feelings, the situation, etc.)
• 聞き分けるききわけるto (listen and) understand
• 取るとるto take (e.g. a joke)
• 聞こえるきこえるto accept (someone's words)