わきまえる・弁える・辨えるwakimaeru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto discern (e.g. right from wrong); to discriminate; to distinguish
2. ichidan verb, transitive verbto know (manners, one's place, etc.); to understand; to bear in mind
   身分みぶんをわきまえなさい。↗

   Remember your station in life.

   私わたしたちが意識いしきしてほかの礼儀れいぎ正ただしさの形かたちをわきまえることが大切たいせつである。↗

   Therefore it is important for us to be aware of other forms of politeness.

• 1.
  Synonym分別ふんべつWrittenA noun for the good sense to judge right from wrong, as in 「分別のある大人」. It names that quality itself, not the act of distinguishing that 「弁える」 describes.
• 2.
  Synonym判別はんべつWrittenWritten word for clearly telling one thing from another; an objective, often technical judgement. It says nothing about manners or propriety.
• 3.
  Synonym識別しきべつWrittenWritten word for picking out things that look alike, as in 「識別番号」. Use it for identification, not for the sense of knowing one's place.
• 4.
  Synonym鑑別かんべつFormalFormal word for judging the type or authenticity of something after close examination, such as appraising gems. It does not apply to knowing one's place or manners.
• 5.
  Synonym弁別べんべつWrittenWritten term for telling different things apart, common in psychology. It covers only the distinguishing sense of 「弁える」 and has no nuance of knowing one's place.
• 6.
  Related分別ぶんべつWrittenA noun for the good sense to judge right from wrong, as in 「分別のある大人」. It names that quality itself, not the act of distinguishing that 「弁える」 describes.
• 7.
  Antonym忘れるわすれるNeutralThe everyday word for forgetting. It is the opposite of 「弁える」 in its sense of keeping something in mind and acting accordingly.
• 8.
  Antonym失念するFormalFormal word for forgetting or letting something slip one's mind, typical of business apologies. It contrasts with 「弁える」 as bearing something firmly in mind.

Use 「弁える」 for knowing one's place and what a situation calls for, as in 「立場をわきまえる」「礼儀をわきまえる」. For telling things apart choose 「識別」 or 「判別」; for sound judgement of right and wrong use 「分別」.

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

1. 物事ものごとや善悪ぜんあくの区別くべつをする。
2. 道理どうりなどをこころえ、それに従したがって行動こうどうする。特とくに控ひかえめに行動こうどうする。