償う|つぐなうtsugunau[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
つぐのうtsugunou
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto make up for; to compensate for; to indemnify; to recompense; to redeem (e.g. a fault); to atone for
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 償う（つぐなう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 償います（つぐないます） |
| Negative (nai) | 償わない（つぐなわない） |
| polite (masen) | 償いません（つぐないません） |
| classical zu / nu | 償わず・償わぬ（つぐなわず・つぐなわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 償った（つぐなった） |
| polite (mashita) | 償いました（つぐないました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 償わなかった（つぐなわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 償いませんでした（つぐないませんでした） |
| Te form | 償って（つぐなって） |
| Potential | 償える（つぐなえる） |
| Passive | 償われる（つぐなわれる） |
| Causative | 償わせる（つぐなわせる） |
| Causative passive | 償わせられる・償わされる（つぐなわせられる・つぐなわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 償えば（つぐなえば） |
| tara | 償ったら（つぐなったら） |
| Volitional | 償おう（つぐなおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 償いましょう（つぐないましょう） |
| Imperative | 償え（つぐなえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym弁償べんしょうNeutralPaying money to make up for something you damaged, as in 「壊した物を弁償する」; 「償う」 can also mean atoning for a sin, which this does not.
- Synonym補償ほしょうWrittenWritten term for compensating a loss, as in 「損失補償」; it leans legal and institutional, unlike the broader 「償う」.
- Related報いるむくいるNeutralTo repay a kindness or take revenge; 「償う」 instead centers on making up for a wrong you yourself caused.
- Related埋め合わせうめあわせNeutralA colloquial, light-toned way to say make up for or compensate, as in 「今度埋め合わせする」.
- Related代償だいしょうWrittenWritten noun for compensation, and also for the price paid to achieve something, as in 「大きな代償」.
- Related補うおぎなうNeutralTo supplement what is missing or make up for a fault; the nuance is filling a gap rather than paying for a wrong.
- Related贖うあがなうWrittenWritten word for atoning for a sin or wrong, with a religious, literary flavor, as in 「罪を贖う」.
- Related報うむくうWrittenThe godan form of 「報いる」: to repay or take revenge. It responds to what others have done, unlike 「償う」, which makes up for one's own faults.
- Related贖罪しょくざいWrittenWritten word for atonement with a religious coloring, as in the Christian 「贖罪」.
- Antonym損なうそこなうNeutralTo harm or damage something — the opposite move from 「償う」, which repairs or makes up for what was done.
Use 「償う」 for making up for a loss or atoning for a wrong, as in 「罪を償う」「損害を償う」. Pay money for something you broke with 「弁償」; institutional or legal compensation is 「補償」. For atonement with a religious, literary tone pick 「贖う」/「贖罪」; to repay a kindness or deed use 「報いる」/「報う」; 「埋め合わせ」 is colloquial and light, 「補う」 fills a gap, 「代償」 names the price paid, and 「損なう」 is the opposite: to harm.
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
