あふれる・溢れるafureru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. ichidan verb, intransitive verbto overflow; to brim over; to flood
   その街まちは活気かっきにあふれていた。↗

   The town was full of activity.

• SynonymこぼれるNeutralFor liquids or powders spilling from a container, and for light, smiles or tears showing through; 「溢れる」 stresses brimming over because too full to hold.
• Synonym溢れ出るあふれでるNeutralFor what can no longer fit flowing outside; stresses the act of flowing out. Also used of emotions, as in 「感情が溢れ出る」; 「溢れる」 stresses being too full to contain.
• Synonym溢れ出すあふれだすNeutralFor beginning to overflow or surge out; stresses the start of the action. 「溢れる」 covers both the act of overflowing and the state of being full.
• SynonymみなぎるWrittenWritten word for water rising high, or strength and resolve welling up inside, as in 「力が漲る」. 「溢れる」 is more common and also covers people or things too many to fit.
• Related漏れるもれるNeutralFor leaking through small holes or gaps, and for secrets getting out; 「溢れる」 is about overflowing because there is too much to hold.
• Related流出りゅうしゅつWrittenWritten term for water flowing out, and for talent or capital draining away or information leaking; 「溢れる」 stresses being too full to contain.
• Related流れ出すながれだすNeutralFor flowing outward or starting to flow; stresses the flow itself. Unlike 「溢れる」, it does not presuppose a full container.
• Related流れ出るながれでるNeutralFor flowing out, as with blood or water; stresses the direction of the flow. Unlike 「溢れる」, it does not presuppose being full.
• Related漏るもるNeutralFor rainwater and the like leaking in, as in 「雨が漏る」; typically said of roofs or containers leaking. 「溢れる」 stresses brimming over.
• Relatedこぼれ落ちるこぼれおちるNeutralFor spilling and dropping down, as with tears or petals; stresses the downward fall. 「溢れる」 stresses brimming out of the container.
• Related溢流いつりゅうWrittenA written Sino-Japanese noun for water brimming out of containers or river channels; an engineering term. In everyday speech use 「溢れる」.
• Antonym欠けるかけるNeutralFor being chipped or broken, or missing a part that should be there — the opposite of 「溢れる」's sense of more than can be contained.
• Antonym不足するNeutralFor falling short in quantity or ability, as with staff or funds — the opposite of 「溢れる」's sense of too much to fit.

Default to 「溢れる」 for liquid brimming over, or people and emotions too many to contain, as in 「涙が溢れる」. 「溢れ出る」 and 「溢れ出す」 stress the act or start of flowing out; 「零れる」 is for spilling, 「漏れる」 for leaking through gaps, 「流れ出す」 and 「流れ出る」 for flowing out without being full. 「漲る」 and 「流出」 suit written prose, 「溢流」 technical writing, and 「不足する」 for not enough.

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

1. 液体えきたいが一杯いっぱいになってこぼれる。[720年ねん～]
2. 人ひとや物ものが入はいりきらないほどたくさんある。また入はいりきれず外そとにはみでる。[13世紀せいき～]
3. 魅力みりょく・才能さいのう・希望きぼうなどで満ち満みちみちている。