掃く|はくhaku[1]atamadaka (head-high)

JLPT N2approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto sweep; to brush; to clean
    お前まえは床ゆかを掃はきさえすればよい。↗
    You have only to sweep the floor.
  2. godan verb, transitive verbto gather silkworms
Conjugation
Dictionary form掃く(はく)
Polite (masu)掃きます(はきます)
Negative (nai)掃かない(はかない)
polite (masen)掃きません(はきません)
classical zu / nu掃かず・掃かぬ(はかず・はかぬ)
Past (ta)掃いた(はいた)
polite (mashita)掃きました(はきました)
Past negative (nakatta)掃かなかった(はかなかった)
polite (masen deshita)掃きませんでした(はきませんでした)
Te form掃いて(はいて)
Potential掃ける(はける)
Passive掃かれる(はかれる)
Causative掃かせる(はかせる)
Causative passive掃かせられる・掃かされる(はかせられる・はかされる)
Conditional (ba)掃けば(はけば)
tara掃いたら(はいたら)
Volitional掃こう(はこう)
polite (mashou)掃きましょう(はきましょう)
Imperative掃け(はけ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Antonym散らかすちらかすNeutralNeutral antonym: to make a mess or leave things lying around (「部屋を散らかす」), the opposite of the tidying and cleaning that 「掃く」 describes.
  • AntonymまくNeutralNeutral antonym: to scatter or sprinkle things (「水をまく」), spreading them out rather than sweeping them together as 「掃く」 does.

Use 「掃く」 for sweeping with a broom (「庭を掃く」) and for brushing a layer on (「眉を掃く」). The opposites are 「散らかす」, to make a mess, and 「撒く」, to scatter or sprinkle.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. ほうきなどでごみやほこりを取とりのぞく。
  2. かいこを集あつめる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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