作る・造る・創る|つくるtsukuru[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
作る作る（つくる） is the most common written form and the usual choice for beginners, covering to make, to produce, to manufacture, and to build.
造る造る（つくる） is less common than 作る（つくる） and is another written form covering the same meanings: to make, produce, manufacture, and build.
創る創る（つくる） is less common than 造る（つくる） and 作る（つくる） and is another written form covering the same meanings.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto make; to produce; to manufacture; to build; to construct造る usu. for large-scale building, manufacturing, etc.; 創る usu. for creating
- godan verb, transitive verbto prepare (food); to brew (alcohol)
- godan verb, transitive verbto raise; to grow; to cultivate; to train
- godan verb, transitive verbto till
- godan verb, transitive verbto draw up (a document); to make out; to prepare; to write
- godan verb, transitive verbto create (an artistic work, etc.); to compose
- godan verb, transitive verbto coin (a phrase); to organize; to organise; to establish; to found
- godan verb, transitive verbto have (a child)
- godan verb, transitive verbto make up (one's face, etc.)
- godan verb, transitive verbto fabricate (an excuse, etc.)
- godan verb, transitive verbto give a (false) appearance; to feign (a smile, etc.); to put on a show of emotion
- godan verb, transitive verbto form (a line, etc.)
- godan verb, transitive verbto set (a record)
- godan verb, transitive verbto commit (a sin, etc.)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 作る（つくる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 作ります（つくります） |
| Negative (nai) | 作らない（つくらない） |
| polite (masen) | 作りません（つくりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 作らず・作らぬ（つくらず・つくらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 作った（つくった） |
| polite (mashita) | 作りました（つくりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 作らなかった（つくらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 作りませんでした（つくりませんでした） |
| Te form | 作って（つくって） |
| Potential | 作れる（つくれる） |
| Passive | 作られる（つくられる） |
| Causative | 作らせる（つくらせる） |
| Causative passive | 作らせられる・作らされる（つくらせられる・つくらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 作れば（つくれば） |
| tara | 作ったら（つくったら） |
| Volitional | 作ろう（つくろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 作りましょう（つくりましょう） |
| Imperative | 作れ（つくれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym作り出すつくりだすNeutralEmphasizes creating something from nothing, as in 「新しい価値を作り出す」.
- Synonym形作るかたちづくるWrittenWritten in tone; means to form or shape something into a whole, as in 「性格を形作る」, focusing on formation rather than making.
- Synonym作り上げるつくりあげるNeutralMaking something all the way to completion, or fabricating it out of thin air, as in 「話を作り上げる」; stresses completion.
- Synonym生むうむNeutralCovers giving birth, or bringing about new things and results, as in 「誤解を生む」「雇用を生む」; about yielding outcomes, not hands-on making.
- Synonym製作せいさくWrittenWritten word for making things with tools or machines, or producing films and shows, as in 「家具を製作する」.
- SynonymこしらえるCasualColloquial and slightly old-fashioned: to make or prepare by hand, as in 「弁当を拵える」, or to cook up an excuse.
- Synonym作成さくせいNeutralUsed mostly for documents, plans and forms, as in 「書類を作成する」.
- Synonym作製さくせいWrittenWritten word for making physical objects or models, as in 「地図を作製する」; more hands-on than 「作成」.
- Synonym制作せいさくNeutralFor creating artworks or programs, as in 「番組を制作する」; stresses the creative side.
- Synonym製造せいぞうNeutralTurning raw materials into products, as in 「製造業」「製造年月日」; more formal than 「作る」 and industrial in flavor.
- Synonym造作ぞうさくWrittenWritten word for building or finishing a house's interior, also for facial features, as in 「顔の造作」.
- Synonym工作こうさくNeutralHandcrafting simple objects, or behind-the-scenes maneuvering, as in 「裏工作」.
- Synonym生成せいせいWrittenWritten word for generating or forming something, mostly in science and computing, as in 「データを生成する」.
- Synonym生産せいさんNeutralProducing goods, whether farm or factory output, as in 「米を生産する」「生産量」.
- Synonym創出そうしゅつWrittenWritten word for creating something new, as in 「雇用を創出する」; common in policy and business contexts.
- Synonym産出さんしゅつWrittenWritten word for producing or extracting resources, as in 「石油を産出する」.
- Synonym生じるしょうじるWrittenWritten word for something arising or occurring, usually not through human action, as in 「問題が生じる」.
- Synonym生ずるしょうずるWrittenThe written-form equivalent of 「生じる」 with the same meaning; things arising largely without human agency.
- Synonym製するせいするWrittenWritten word for manufacturing, found in manuals or classical texts; not used in everyday speech.
- Synonym産するさんするWrittenWritten word for an area producing or yielding something, as in 「この地方は米を産する」; in daily speech say 「とれる」.
- Related創作そうさくNeutralOriginal creative works, or made-up stories; 「創作料理」 means original, inventive cuisine.
- Related創造そうぞうNeutralCreating something entirely new, also God's creation of the world, as in 「創造力」; a grander act than 「作る」.
- Related成形せいけいWrittenWritten word for shaping or molding, mostly in industry and pottery, as in 「プラスチック成形」.
- Antonym壊すこわすNeutralThe opposite of 「作る」: to break or destroy something.
- Antonym消すけすNeutralOpposes 「作る」 only where the thing made is text or a record, as in deleting a finished document; in that sense it means to erase or wipe out.
- Antonym破壊するWrittenWritten antonym of 「作る」 for thorough destruction; heavier in degree.
Use 「作る」 for making things in general. For documents use 「作成」, for artworks and programs 「制作」, for industrial products 「製造」, and for bringing something into being from nothing 「作り出す」 or 「創造」. Written alternatives like 「作製」「生成」「創出」 suit formal prose, while 「拵える」 is colloquial. Antonyms: 「壊す」 to break, 「破壊する」 for heavy destruction, and 「消す」 only where the thing made is text or a record, e.g. deleting a document you created.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
