なめる・舐める・嘗める・甞めるnameru[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto lick; to lap; to suck
    その子犬こいぬは彼女かのじょの頬ほおを舐なめた。↗
    The puppy licked her on the cheek.
  2. ichidan verb, transitive verbto taste
    ここのソースは舐なめてみるとちょっと塩しょっぱい。↗
    If you taste this sauce you'll find it a bit salty.
  3. ichidan verb, transitive verbto experience (esp. a hardship)
    I have struggled under extreme difficulties for a long time.
  4. ichidan verb, transitive verbto underestimate; to make light of; to look down on (someone); to make a fool of; to treat with contempt; to disparagealso written as ナメる and 無礼る
    俺おれをなめるな。↗
    Don't make light of me.
  5. ichidan verb, transitive verbto lick (at; of flames); to burn
Conjugation
Dictionary formなめる
Polite (masu)なめます
Negative (nai)なめない
polite (masen)なめません
classical zu / nuなめず・なめぬ
Past (ta)なめた
polite (mashita)なめました
Past negative (nakatta)なめなかった
polite (masen deshita)なめませんでした
Te formなめて
Potentialなめられる
Passiveなめられる
Causativeなめさせる
Causative passiveなめさせられる
Conditional (ba)なめれば
taraなめたら
Volitionalなめよう
polite (mashou)なめましょう
Imperativeなめろ

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • SynonymねぶるNeutralMeans to lick or suck, but is far less common and carries a dialectal or old-fashioned flavor; everyday speech uses 「舐める」 or 「しゃぶる」.
  • Related味わうあじわうNeutralMeans to taste or go through, as in 「料理を味わう」「苦しみを味わう」, stressing taking the experience in fully, pleasant or not; 「舐める」 can also mean to look down on someone.

Use 「なめる」 for licking with the tongue or tasting hardship, as in 「アメをなめる」「辛酸をなめる」; it can also mean to look down on someone. To savor something slowly, choose 「味わう」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 舌したの先さきで物ものを触ふれる。舌したの上うえでとかす。
  2. 酒さけなどを少量しょうりょうずつ飲のむ。
  3. 炎ほのおが這はうように燃え広もえひろがっていく。
  4. 経験けいけんする。
  5. 余あますことなく及およぶ。
  6. あなどる。
  7. 画面がめんの中心ちゅうしんとなる被写体ひしゃたいの前まえに、別べつの人物じんぶつや物体ぶったいを配置はいちして撮影さつえいする。
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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