埋める|うめるumeru[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto bury (e.g. in the ground)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto fill up (e.g. audience fills a hall); to cause to be packed
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto plug (a gap); to stop (a gap); to bridge (a difference, a gap); to fill (a seat, a vacant position); to fill out (a form, a sheet)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto make up for (a loss, shortage, etc.); to make amends; to compensate for
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto put cold water (in a bath)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto cover; to scatter something over
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 埋める（うめる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 埋めます（うめます） |
| Negative (nai) | 埋めない（うめない） |
| polite (masen) | 埋めません（うめません） |
| classical zu / nu | 埋めず・埋めぬ（うめず・うめぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 埋めた（うめた） |
| polite (mashita) | 埋めました（うめました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 埋めなかった（うめなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 埋めませんでした（うめませんでした） |
| Te form | 埋めて（うめて） |
| Potential | 埋められる（うめられる） |
| Passive | 埋められる（うめられる） |
| Causative | 埋めさせる（うめさせる） |
| Causative passive | 埋めさせられる（うめさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 埋めれば（うめれば） |
| tara | 埋めたら（うめたら） |
| Volitional | 埋めよう（うめよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 埋めましょう（うめましょう） |
| Imperative | 埋めろ（うめろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
化石を埋める
The intransitive 埋まる takes が and focuses on the thing that ends up buried, as in 化石が埋まる, while the transitive 埋める takes を and focuses on the act of burying something, as in 化石を埋める.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym葬るほうむるWrittenA written, formal word: to bury or inter a body, also figuratively to hush something up or shelve it; 「埋める」 centers on filling in or closing gaps.
- Synonym埋けるいけるWrittenArchaic and rarely used today: to bury in the ground, or to bank leftover coals with ash. In everyday speech say 「埋める」.
- Synonym埋け込むいけこむWrittenTo bury something in or cover it up; leans toward written prose. 「埋める」 is more colloquial and far broader in use.
- Related満たすみたすNeutralTo fill something up or satisfy conditions, stressing that requirements are met; 「埋める」 stresses filling in a gap or void.
- RelatedカバーNeutralLoanword: to cover for or make up for something, e.g. standing in for an absent colleague. 「埋める」 stresses filling an opening.
- Related補うおぎなうNeutralTo supplement what is lacking, e.g. nutrients. 「埋める」 stresses leveling out a vacancy or gap, as in 「赤字を埋める」.
- Related沈めるしずめるNeutralTo sink something in water, or figuratively to floor an opponent. 「埋める」 is about burying things in the ground.
- Related塞ぐふさぐNeutralTo plug or block an exit or opening, stressing obstruction; 「埋める」 stresses filling a hollow completely.
- Related満ちるみちるNeutralIntransitive: to become full or brim with something. 「埋める」 is transitive — you actively fill something in.
- Related埋め合わすうめあわすNeutralTo make up for a loss or compensate for a fault. 「埋める」 can also mean bridging a gap, as in 「差を埋める」.
- Related埋め尽くすうめつくすNeutralTo fill or pack something completely, e.g. a crowd packing a hall; more thorough than 「埋める」.
- Antonym掘るほるNeutralTo dig or excavate — the opposite of 「埋める」, which puts things into the ground.
- Antonym開けるあけるNeutralWhen written 「開ける」: to open something up or make a hole — the opposite of filling one in, as in 「穴を開ける」 vs 「穴を埋める」.
Use 「埋める」 for burying something in the ground, filling a vacancy or bridging a gap, or packing a hall with people. For burying the dead say 「葬る」; for supplementing what is lacking, 「補う」; for blocking an opening, 「塞ぐ」; for digging, 「掘る」.
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
