召す|めすmesu[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto call; to summon; to send for; to invite
- godan verb, transitive verbto eat; to drink
- godan verb, transitive verbto put on; to wear
- godan verb, transitive verbto buy; to purchase
- godan verb, transitive verbto take (a bath)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto ride; to get in (a vehicle); to take
- godan verb, transitive verbto catch (a cold)
- godan verb, transitive verbto put on (years); to get oldas お年を召す
- godan verb, intransitive verbto strike one's fancy; to please oneas お気に召す
- godan verb, transitive verbto do
- godan verb, transitive verbto commit seppukuas お腹を召す
- auxiliary verb, godan verbindicates respectafter -masu stem of verb
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 召す（めす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 召します（めします） |
| Negative (nai) | 召さない（めさない） |
| polite (masen) | 召しません（めしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 召さず・召さぬ（めさず・めさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 召した（めした） |
| polite (mashita) | 召しました（めしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 召さなかった（めさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 召しませんでした（めしませんでした） |
| Te form | 召して（めして） |
| Potential | 召せる（めせる） |
| Passive | 召される（めされる） |
| Causative | 召させる（めさせる） |
| Causative passive | 召させられる（めさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 召せば（めせば） |
| tara | 召したら（めしたら） |
| Volitional | 召そう（めそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 召しましょう（めしましょう） |
| Imperative | 召せ（めせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym召し上がるめしあがるFormalThe everyday honorific for eating and drinking, the usual choice in polite speech, but limited to food and drink; 「召す」 also covers wearing and summoning.
- Synonym着るきるNeutralThe plain word for putting on clothes, with no honorific sense; 「召す」 can speak respectfully of someone else's attire, as in 「着物を召す」.
- RelatedいただくFormalHumble language for your own eating, drinking or receiving; 「召す」 is respectful language for someone else's actions.
- Related食べるたべるNeutralThe plain, neutral word for eating, usable with any subject and free of honorific overtones; switch to 「召し上がる」 or 「召す」 to show respect to a superior.
- Related飲むのむNeutralThe plain word for drinking, also taking medicine or smoking, with no honorific sense; use 「召し上がる」 when speaking respectfully to or about a superior.
- Related喫するきっするWrittenWritten-style: to eat, drink or smoke, or to suffer something, as in 「惨敗を喫する」; it carries no honorific sense, unlike 「召す」.
- Related召されるめされるFormalAs an honorific it carries heavier respect than 「召す」, as in 「お風邪を召される」; 「天に召される」 is passive, meaning being called to heaven.
- Related食するしょくするWrittenA written-style word for eating, as in 「生で食する」, with no honorific nuance; 「召す」 is the respectful way to speak of someone else's eating or drinking.
- Related聞こし召すきこしめすFormalAn honorific for hearing or drinking with an archaic ring; today mostly a tongue-in-cheek way to say someone is drinking, and rare in everyday speech.
Use 「召す」 to speak respectfully of someone's eating, drinking or wearing, or of catching a cold or summoning, as in 「お召し物」 and 「風邪を召す」. For eating and drinking, 「召し上がる」 is the everyday honorific; 「頂く」 is humble, for your own actions, and 「召される」 adds extra weight. Without honorifics use 「食べる」, 「飲む」 or 「着る」; 「食する」 and 「喫する」 are literary, 「聞こし召す」 archaic or jocular.
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
