塗る|ぬるnuru[0]heiban (flat)
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- godan verb, transitive verbto paint; to spread; to plaster; to apply (cream, lotion); to smear; to lacquer; to varnish; to put up (wallpaper)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 塗る(ぬる) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 塗ります(ぬります) |
| Negative (nai) | 塗らない(ぬらない) |
| polite (masen) | 塗りません(ぬりません) |
| classical zu / nu | 塗らず・塗らぬ(ぬらず・ぬらぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 塗った(ぬった) |
| polite (mashita) | 塗りました(ぬりました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 塗らなかった(ぬらなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 塗りませんでした(ぬりませんでした) |
| Te form | 塗って(ぬって) |
| Potential | 塗れる(ぬれる) |
| Passive | 塗られる(ぬられる) |
| Causative | 塗らせる(ぬらせる) |
| Causative passive | 塗らせられる・塗らされる(ぬらせられる・ぬらされる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 塗れば(ぬれば) |
| tara | 塗ったら(ぬったら) |
| Volitional | 塗ろう(ぬろう) |
| polite (mashou) | 塗りましょう(ぬりましょう) |
| Imperative | 塗れ(ぬれ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym彩るいろどるWrittenWritten/formal prose. Adorns with color, also used figuratively for embellishing, as in 「花が食卓を彩る」; carries an aesthetic nuance.
- Synonym着色ちゃくしょくWrittenWritten/formal prose. Coloring an item, often for food additives or technical use, as in 「着色料」.
- Synonym塗布とふWrittenWritten/formal prose. Applies medicine or coating to a surface, mostly in medical instructions, as in 「患部に塗布する」.
- Synonym塗りつけるぬりつけるCasualColloquial. Smears something onto a surface, stressing the act of spreading it on; also figuratively shifts blame onto someone, as in 「責任を塗りつける」.
- RelatedつけるNeutralNeutral. A very broad verb for attaching or sticking things on, as in 「薬をつける」「バターをつける」; 「塗る」 is the specific word for spreading or painting.
- Related塗装とそうWrittenWritten/formal prose. Painting or spray-coating a surface, as in 「車の塗装」; mostly used in industrial and construction contexts.
- Related施すほどこすWrittenWritten/formal prose. Applies decoration, treatment or makeup, as in 「化粧を施す」「加工を施す」; more formal than 「塗る」.
- Related色付けいろづけNeutralNeutral. Adding color to something, as in 「料理の色付け」; the focus is on adding color rather than spreading a substance.
- AntonymはがすNeutralNeutral. The opposite of 「塗る」: peels off something stuck or coated on a surface, as in 「シールを剥がす」.
- Antonym拭くふくNeutralNeutral. The opposite of 「塗る」: wipes something off a surface with a cloth, as in 「テーブルを拭く」.
「塗る」 is the default for spreading or applying cream, paint or paste. Use 「塗りつける」 to smear onto a surface (or shift blame), 「塗布」 for medical application, 「塗装」 for spray-painting, 「色付け」/「着色」 for adding color, 「剥がす」/「拭く」 to remove it.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
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