奪う|うばうubau[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto take (by force); to take away; to snatch; to steal; to rob (someone) of; to dispossess of; to deprive of; to usurp
- godan verb, transitive verbto absorb (one's attention); to fascinate; to captivate; to charm; to dazzleas 心を〜, 目を〜, etc.
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 奪う（うばう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 奪います（うばいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 奪わない（うばわない） |
| polite (masen) | 奪いません（うばいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 奪わず・奪わぬ（うばわず・うばわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 奪った（うばった） |
| polite (mashita) | 奪いました（うばいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 奪わなかった（うばわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 奪いませんでした（うばいませんでした） |
| Te form | 奪って（うばって） |
| Potential | 奪える（うばえる） |
| Passive | 奪われる（うばわれる） |
| Causative | 奪わせる（うばわせる） |
| Causative passive | 奪わせられる・奪わされる（うばわせられる・うばわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 奪えば（うばえば） |
| tara | 奪ったら（うばったら） |
| Volitional | 奪おう（うばおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 奪いましょう（うばいましょう） |
| Imperative | 奪え（うばえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym略奪りゃくだつWrittenWritten noun for violent plundering in war or riots, e.g. 「略奪行為」; also of individuals, as in 「略奪愛」. Unlike 「奪う」, it does not cover attention or life.
- Synonym強奪ごうだつWrittenWritten noun for taking by force, common in news reports, e.g. 「現金強奪」. 「奪う」 is the everyday verb with much wider use.
- SynonymぶんどるCasualColloquial: to grab or muscle something away, often half-joking, as in 「席を分捕る」. 「奪う」 is neutral.
- Synonym収奪しゅうだつWrittenWritten term for forcible exploitation and extraction, typical of colonial rule or resources. 「奪う」 is far more general.
- Synonym奪取だっしゅWrittenWritten noun for seizing by force, common in sports and military or political contexts, e.g. 「政権奪取」. 「奪う」 is the more conversational choice.
- Synonym奪い取るうばいとるNeutralEmphasizes wresting a thing from someone and making it your own. 「奪う」 can also abstractly mean stealing attention.
- Synonym略取りゃくしゅWrittenLegal term for taking or abducting someone by violence or threats. In everyday speech use 「奪う」 or 「さらう」.
- Synonym簒奪さんだつWrittenWritten noun for usurping a throne, power or position that belongs to another. 「奪う」 covers taking anything by force.
- Synonym掠め奪うかすめうばうWrittenWritten and rare: to plunder by force. Say 「奪う」 in daily life.
- SynonymふんだくるCasualCoarse colloquial verb: to snatch something by force, or to fleece someone with exorbitant prices. 「奪う」 is neutral.
- RelatedかすめるNeutralSteals by slipping in through an opening or catching someone off guard; also means to graze past. 「奪う」 is usually open, forceful taking.
- Antonym与えるあたえるNeutralThe opposite of 「奪う」 on the give-vs-take axis: to hand something over to someone.
- Antonym授けるさずけるWrittenWritten antonym on the give-vs-take axis: a superior grants or imparts something, with a solemn tone.
Use 「奪う」 for taking things by force and also for stealing attention or lives. For plundering in war or riots use 「略奪」; for robbery in the news 「強奪」; for seizing in sports or politics 「奪取」; for usurping a throne or power 「簒奪」.
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
