写す|うつすutsusu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto copy; to duplicate; to reproduce; to trace; to transcribe
- godan verb, transitive verbto describe; to depict; to portray; to express
- godan verb, transitive verbto imitate; to model after
- godan verb, transitive verbto take (a photo); to photograph; to film; to shootalso written as 撮す
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 写す（うつす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 写します（うつします） |
| Negative (nai) | 写さない（うつさない） |
| polite (masen) | 写しません（うつしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 写さず・写さぬ（うつさず・うつさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 写した（うつした） |
| polite (mashita) | 写しました（うつしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 写さなかった（うつさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 写しませんでした（うつしませんでした） |
| Te form | 写して（うつして） |
| Potential | 写せる（うつせる） |
| Passive | 写される（うつされる） |
| Causative | 写させる（うつさせる） |
| Causative passive | 写させられる（うつさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 写せば（うつせば） |
| tara | 写したら（うつしたら） |
| Volitional | 写そう（うつそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 写しましょう（うつしましょう） |
| Imperative | 写せ（うつせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
写る focuses on the subject appearing in a photograph or reflection as a result; 写す focuses on the deliberate act of copying or capturing that subject.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym書き写すかきうつすNeutralCopy text or pictures exactly as they are, e.g. 「黒板を書き写す」; stresses copying out faithfully. 「写す」 also covers taking photos and depicting.
- Synonym模写もしゃWrittenWritten style: copying a painting, as in 「名画の模写」; focuses on reproducing pictures.
- Synonym複写ふくしゃWrittenWritten style for photocopying or duplicating documents, as in 「無断複写禁止」.
- Synonym模倣もほうWrittenWritten style for imitation, as in 「他人の模倣」; stresses copying someone's example.
- Synonym写し取るうつしとるNeutralCopy or reproduce something exactly as it is, e.g. 「風景を写し取る」; stresses capturing the original in full.
- Synonym謄写とうしゃFormalFormal term for transcribing or mimeographing, as in 「謄写版」.
- Synonym引き写すひきうつすNeutralCopy word for word or trace a drawing, e.g. 「原文を引き写す」; stresses following the original exactly.
- Synonym臨写りんしゃWrittenWritten style: copying while looking at the original, mostly in calligraphy practice; stresses writing after a model.
- Synonym筆写ひっしゃWrittenWritten style for copying by hand, as in 「経典を筆写する」.
- Related複製ふくせいWrittenWritten style for reproductions, as in 「複製画」; stresses making an identical copy of the original.
- Related模造もぞうWrittenWritten style for making imitations, as in 「模造品」; stresses manufacturing a copy.
- Related書写しょしゃWrittenWritten style for writing or copying out; also the penmanship unit in Japanese language classes.
- Related模するもするWrittenWritten style for imitating or modeling on something, as in 「古典を模する」; stresses taking after a model.
- Related写字しゃじWrittenWritten style for copying out characters; rarely used — say 「書き写す」 in everyday speech.
For copying text or taking photos, 「写す」 is the default. Use 「書き写す」 or 「筆写」 for copying by hand, 「模写」 or 「臨写」 for copying pictures or calligraphy, 「複写」 for photocopying, 「複製」 for reproductions, 「模造」 for imitation goods, and 「模倣」 for imitating behavior.
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
