待ち受ける・待受ける|まちうけるmachiukeru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
待ち受ける待ち受ける is the most common written form and the form beginners should choose; it is the spelling learners will most often see in Japanese writing.
待受ける待受ける is a less common kanji-and-kana variant of 待ち受ける. Beginners should generally use 待ち受ける instead.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto await; to wait for; to expect
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 待ち受ける（まちうける） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 待ち受けます（まちうけます） |
| Negative (nai) | 待ち受けない（まちうけない） |
| polite (masen) | 待ち受けません（まちうけません） |
| classical zu / nu | 待ち受けず・待ち受けぬ（まちうけず・まちうけぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 待ち受けた（まちうけた） |
| polite (mashita) | 待ち受けました（まちうけました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 待ち受けなかった（まちうけなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 待ち受けませんでした（まちうけませんでした） |
| Te form | 待ち受けて（まちうけて） |
| Potential | 待ち受けられる（まちうけられる） |
| Passive | 待ち受けられる（まちうけられる） |
| Causative | 待ち受けさせる（まちうけさせる） |
| Causative passive | 待ち受けさせられる（まちうけさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 待ち受ければ（まちうければ） |
| tara | 待ち受けたら（まちうけたら） |
| Volitional | 待ち受けよう（まちうけよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 待ち受けましょう（まちうけましょう） |
| Imperative | 待ち受けろ（まちうけろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym待つまつNeutralThe most versatile word for waiting, centred on the time spent waiting; 「待ち受ける」 instead stresses being ready to receive a visitor or what the future brings.
- Related出迎えるでむかえるNeutralTo go out and meet an arriving person; the stress is on actively stepping out to greet them, whereas 「待ち受ける」 means staying prepared and on watch.
- Related迎えるむかえるNeutralTo welcome or receive someone; it can also mean simply waiting for a person to come, while 「待ち受ける」 stresses being prepared and lying in wait.
- Related見込むみこむNeutralTo anticipate or estimate, counting something in beforehand, as in 「見込んで準備」; it is about expectation, not waiting at all.
- Related待機たいきNeutralTo stand by, ready to move at any moment, as in 「自宅待機」; the emphasis is on readiness for action, not on awaiting a visitor.
- Related待望たいぼうWrittenWritten/formal prose for eager, long-held anticipation, as in 「待望の新作」; it stresses the longing itself rather than prepared waiting.
- Related当て込むあてこむNeutralTo count on something with a calculating eye, as in 「客を当て込む」; it is about banking on an outcome, not waiting for it.
- Related待ちかねるまちかねるNeutralTo wait so long that impatience takes over; it stresses the can't-wait-any-longer feeling, whereas 「待ち受ける」 centres on being ready for whoever or whatever comes.
- Related待ち焦がれるまちこがれるNeutralTo wait with intense longing, heart set on an early arrival; it is charged with emotion, while 「待ち受ける」 simply awaits what comes.
Choose 「待ち受ける」 when you wait prepared to receive a visitor or await what the future holds, as in 「困難が待ち受ける」 and 「敵を待ち受ける」. For plain waiting use 「待つ」, for standing by 「待機」, for eager longing 「待望」, and for going out to meet someone 「出迎える」.
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
