喜ぶ・悦ぶ・歓ぶ・慶ぶ|よろこぶyorokobu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
喜ぶ喜ぶ is the most common written form and the form beginners should use. It is written with kanji and kana.
悦ぶ悦ぶ is a rarely used written form, so learners will seldom encounter it. Use 喜ぶ instead when choosing a form to write.
歓ぶ歓ぶ is a rarely used written form, so learners will seldom encounter it. Use 喜ぶ instead when choosing a form to write.
慶ぶ慶ぶ is a rarely used written form, so learners will seldom encounter it. Use 喜ぶ instead when choosing a form to write.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto be delighted; to be glad; to be pleased; to rejoice
- godan verb, transitive verbto congratulate
- godan verb, transitive verbto welcome (a proposal, advice, etc.); to take kindly to
- godan verb, intransitive verbto do with pleasure; to do gladly; to be happy (to do)as よろこんで...
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 喜ぶ（よろこぶ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 喜びます（よろこびます） |
| Negative (nai) | 喜ばない（よろこばない） |
| polite (masen) | 喜びません（よろこびません） |
| classical zu / nu | 喜ばず・喜ばぬ（よろこばず・よろこばぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 喜んだ（よろこんだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 喜びました（よろこびました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 喜ばなかった（よろこばなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 喜びませんでした（よろこびませんでした） |
| Te form | 喜んで（よろこんで） |
| Potential | 喜べる（よろこべる） |
| Passive | 喜ばれる（よろこばれる） |
| Causative | 喜ばせる（よろこばせる） |
| Causative passive | 喜ばせられる・喜ばされる（よろこばせられる・よろこばされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 喜べば（よろこべば） |
| tara | 喜んだら（よろこんだら） |
| Volitional | 喜ぼう（よろこぼう） |
| polite (mashou) | 喜びましょう（よろこびましょう） |
| Imperative | 喜べ（よろこべ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
友達が喜ぶ
喜ぶ describes a person’s own feeling of joy (marked with が), while 喜ばす describes the act of making someone else feel joy (marked with を).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym歓喜かんきWrittenWritten word for intense joy, far stronger than 「喜ぶ」; seen in 「歓喜の声」「歓喜に沸く」.
- Synonym喜悦きえつWrittenWritten noun for heartfelt joy, as in 「喜悦の表情」; more solemn and profound than 「喜ぶ」.
- Related小躍りこおどりCasualColloquial: joy so strong you jump about, as in 「小躍りして喜ぶ」; stresses the visible, physical expression of delight.
- Related浮かれるうかれるCasualColloquial verb for feeling giddy and festive, as in 「お祭り気分に浮かれる」; sometimes suggests getting carried away.
- Related祝賀しゅくがWrittenWritten noun for formal celebration, as in 「祝賀会」; points to the ceremonial event rather than the feeling of joy.
- Related祝ういわうNeutralTo mark a happy occasion with words or deeds, as in 「誕生日を祝う」; centers on celebrating for someone or a festival.
- Related慶祝けいしゅくWrittenWritten noun for celebrating a happy event, as in 「慶祝行事」; carries an official, ceremonial flavor.
- Related大喜びおおよろこびCasualColloquial for being overjoyed, as in 「子供たちは大喜び」; a stronger degree of delight than 「喜ぶ」.
- Related雀躍じゃくやくWrittenWritten word for exultant joy, like a sparrow hopping; often in 「欣喜雀躍」 and carries an exaggerated tone.
- Related賀するがするWrittenWritten verb for congratulating, as in 「新年を賀する」; common in greeting messages, rare in everyday speech.
- Related祝するしゅくするWrittenWritten verb for congratulating someone, as in 「前途を祝する」; typical of formal speeches.
- Related祝すしゅくすWrittenA variant of 「祝する」; written style for congratulating, found mainly in texts.
- Related悦に入るえつにいるWrittenIdiom for smugly delighting in oneself, as in 「一人悦に入る」; teasing nuance of self-satisfaction.
- Related奉祝ほうしゅくFormalFormal term for respectfully celebrating major happy events such as imperial occasions, as in 「奉祝行事」.
- Related愉悦ゆえつWrittenWritten noun for pleasure felt within, as in 「愉悦に浸る」; stresses inner enjoyment.
- Related寿ぐことほぐWrittenWritten verb for offering congratulations in words, as in 「新春を寿ぐ」; has an elegant, old-fashioned air.
- Related慶賀けいがWrittenWritten noun for congratulation, as in 「慶賀の至り」; used in formal congratulatory messages.
- Related寿くことぶくWrittenOlder form of 「寿ぐ」; written congratulations and blessings, hardly ever used today.
- Antonym悲しむかなしむNeutralThe opposite of 「喜ぶ」: to feel sorrow, as in 「死を悲しむ」; stresses inner grief.
- Antonym嘆くなげくNeutralThe opposite of 「喜ぶ」: to lament aloud, as in 「不運を嘆く」; stresses voicing one's grief or regret.
For everyday gladness use 「喜ぶ」. To stress degree, say 「大喜び」 in speech or 「歓喜」 in writing; 「喜悦」「愉悦」 are written words for deep, heartfelt joy, 「雀躍」 exultation, 「小躍り」 jumping for joy, and 「浮かれる」 giddy excitement. For celebrating an occasion, choose 「祝う」; written or formal congratulations include 「祝賀」「慶祝」「奉祝」「賀する」「祝する」「寿ぐ」. The opposite is 「悲しむ」, with 「嘆く」 for lamenting.
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
