上向く|うわむくuwamuku[0]heiban (flat)
うえむくuemuku
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Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto point upward; to look upward
- godan verb, intransitive verbto improve
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 上向く（うわむく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 上向きます（うわむきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 上向かない（うわむかない） |
| polite (masen) | 上向きません（うわむきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 上向かず・上向かぬ（うわむかず・うわむかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 上向いた（うわむいた） |
| polite (mashita) | 上向きました（うわむきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 上向かなかった（うわむかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 上向きませんでした（うわむきませんでした） |
| Te form | 上向いて（うわむいて） |
| Potential | 上向ける（うわむける） |
| Passive | 上向かれる（うわむかれる） |
| Causative | 上向かせる（うわむかせる） |
| Causative passive | 上向かせられる・上向かされる（うわむかせられる・うわむかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 上向けば（うわむけば） |
| tara | 上向いたら（うわむいたら） |
| Volitional | 上向こう（うわむこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 上向きましょう（うわむきましょう） |
| Imperative | 上向け（うわむけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymアップNeutralWritten in letters, common on signs and in headlines for increases or rises; 「上向く」 is about the economy or a situation turning from bad to better.
- Synonym持ち直すもちなおすNeutralSaid of an illness or the market picking up again, as in 「景気が持ち直す」.
- Related立ち直るたちなおるNeutralRefers to pulling yourself together after a setback; 「上向く」 is about the market or economy starting to turn better.
- Related向上こうじょうWrittenWritten style for levels rising, as in 「品質向上」; stresses progress, while 「上向く」 stresses a turn from bad to good.
- RelatedかいぜんNeutralMeans fixing what is bad, as in 「業務改善」; stresses deliberate human effort.
- Related好転こうてんWrittenWritten style for a situation changing for the better, as in 「状況が好転」; close in sense to 「上向く」.
- Related高まるたかまるNeutralUsed for emotions and expectations swelling, as in 「期待が高まる」; 「上向く」 is about a situation improving.
- Related上がるあがるNeutralThe broadest word for rising; does not specifically mean things turn better.
- Related上昇じょうしょうWrittenWritten style for rising, as in 「気温上昇」; leans toward numbers and figures.
- Related上るのぼるNeutralThe same verb as 「上がる」 two entries up (not 「上昇」), here in its 「上る」 spelling; the broadest word for rising, with no sense of bad turning to good.
- RelatedよくなるCasualColloquial and the most general way to say something gets better; carries no market overtones.
- Antonym下向くしたむくNeutralAntonym: points downward or describes the market turning worse; the direct opposite of 「上向く」.
Use 「上向く」 when the economy or market turns from bad to better, as in 「景気が上向く」. For a situation turning for the better use 「好転」, for improvement use 「改善」, and for a turn for the worse use 「下向く」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
