広がる・拡がる|ひろがるhirogaru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
広がる広がる is the more common written form and the recommended default for beginners; use it when choosing between these forms.
拡がる拡がる is a less common written form than 広がる. Beginners should generally choose 広がる instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto spread (out); to extend; to stretch; to reach to; to get around; to fill (e.g. a space)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 広がる（ひろがる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 広がります（ひろがります） |
| Negative (nai) | 広がらない（ひろがらない） |
| polite (masen) | 広がりません（ひろがりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 広がらず・広がらぬ（ひろがらず・ひろがらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 広がった（ひろがった） |
| polite (mashita) | 広がりました（ひろがりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 広がらなかった（ひろがらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 広がりませんでした（ひろがりませんでした） |
| Te form | 広がって（ひろがって） |
| Potential | 広がれる（ひろがれる） |
| Passive | 広がられる（ひろがられる） |
| Causative | 広がらせる（ひろがらせる） |
| Causative passive | 広がらせられる・広がらされる（ひろがらせられる・ひろがらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 広がれば（ひろがれば） |
| tara | 広がったら（ひろがったら） |
| Volitional | 広がろう（ひろがろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 広がりましょう（ひろがりましょう） |
| Imperative | 広がれ（ひろがれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
噂が広がる
広がる describes something spreading or extending on its own (as in 噂が広がる), while 広げる describes a person actively spreading or opening something (as in 地図を広げる).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym拡大かくだいNeutralFor scale or scope growing, as in 「被害が拡大する」. Fairly formal, common in news reports.
- Synonym拡張かくちょうNeutralFor extending range or functions, as in 「道路の拡張」. Usually deliberate expansion or addition, like roads or features.
- Synonym広まるひろまるNeutralIntransitive for news or trends getting around, as in 「噂が広まる」. Focuses on becoming known; 「広がる」 covers both space and the spread of news or influence.
- Synonym伝わるつたわるNeutralFor information or feelings getting across, or coming from elsewhere, as in 「気持ちが伝わる」. Focuses on reaching the other side.
- Synonym蔓延まんえんNeutralFor diseases or bad habits spreading unchecked, as in 「感染症の蔓延」. Carries the nuance of something bad running rampant.
- Synonym行き渡るいきわたるNeutralFor reaching every corner, as in 「全員に行き渡る」. Focuses on covering each and every place or person.
- Related伸びるのびるNeutralAbout growth in length — height, hair, even grades, as in 「背が伸びる」. It stresses getting longer in one direction, while 「広がる」 is about area or scope widening.
- Related広げるひろげるNeutralTransitive: a person unfolds or widens something, as in 「地図を広げる」. 「広がる」 is its intransitive counterpart.
- Related広めるひろめるNeutralTransitive: actively spreading or promoting something, as in 「知識を広める」. Its intransitive counterpart is 「広まる」.
- Related膨らむふくらむNeutralFor swelling from within, as in 「風船が膨らむ」 or 「夢が膨らむ」. Focuses on volume inflating, not area spreading.
- Related伸ばすのばすNeutralTransitive: making something longer or straighter, as in 「手を伸ばす」. 「広がる」 is intransitive and about area or scope.
- Related展開てんかいWrittenWritten-leaning: something unfolding before your eyes or a situation progressing, as in 「話の展開」. Mostly for plots and situations.
- Related普及ふきゅうNeutralFor spreading widely among the public, as in 「スマホの普及」. Focuses on coming into use by many people.
- Related浸透しんとうNeutralFor liquids soaking in or ideas gradually sinking in, as in 「理念が浸透する」. Stresses slow penetration inward.
- Related伝播でんぱWrittenWritten word for the spread of culture, waves and the like, as in 「仏教の伝播」. Mostly in academic writing.
- Related膨れるふくれるNeutralFor puffing or bulging up, and also for sulking. A localized bulge, whereas 「広がる」 spreads out over a flat area.
- Related及ぶおよぶNeutralFor influence or scope reaching somewhere, as in 「被害が全国に及ぶ」. Focuses on the extent reached, not the spreading itself.
- Related波及はきゅうNeutralFor effects spreading outward like ripples, as in 「影響が波及する」. Mostly for negative influence.
- Related満ちるみちるNeutralFor filling up, as in 「希望に満ちる」 or 「潮が満ちる」. About being filled, not spreading outward.
- Related流布るふWrittenWritten word for rumours or claims circulating in the world, as in 「誤った情報が流布する」. More solemn than 「広まる」.
- Related引き伸ばすひきのばすNeutralTransitive: stretching things out, enlarging photos, or dragging out time. Deliberate lengthening, while 「広がる」 is intransitive natural spreading of area.
- Related伸展しんてんWrittenWritten word for extending one's influence or scale. Rare in daily speech; say 「伸びる」 or 「拡大」 instead.
- Related散開さんかいWrittenWritten word for people scattering, especially troops spreading out on a battlefield. Rare in everyday use.
- Antonym縮むちぢむNeutralAntonym: to shrink or contract, as in 「布が縮む」 — the opposite of 「広がる」 growing and spreading out.
- Antonym狭まるせばまるNeutralAntonym: to narrow, as in 「道幅が狭まる」 — the opposite of 「広がる」 getting wider.
Use 「広がる」 when an area, scope, influence or piece of news spreads out. To unfold or widen something deliberately, use 「広げる」; for news or trends getting around, 「広まる」; for scale growing, 「拡大」; for something bad spreading, 「蔓延」. The opposites are 「狭まる」 and 「縮む」.
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
