描く・画く|えがくegaku[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
かくkaku[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
描く描く（えがく） is the more common written form and the recommended choice for beginners. Use it when writing this word.
画く画く（えがく） is less common than 描く（えがく）. It is not the first choice for beginners, who should use 描く（えがく） instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto draw; to paint; to sketch
- godan verb, transitive verbto depict; to describe
- godan verb, transitive verbto picture in one's mind; to imagine
- godan verb, transitive verbto form a certain shape (e.g. path of an action, appearance of an object, etc.)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 描く（えがく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 描きます（えがきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 描かない（えがかない） |
| polite (masen) | 描きません（えがきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 描かず・描かぬ（えがかず・えがかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 描いた（えがいた） |
| polite (mashita) | 描きました（えがきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 描かなかった（えがかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 描きませんでした（えがきませんでした） |
| Te form | 描いて（えがいて） |
| Potential | 描ける（えがける） |
| Passive | 描かれる（えがかれる） |
| Causative | 描かせる（えがかせる） |
| Causative passive | 描かせられる・描かされる（えがかせられる・えがかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 描けば（えがけば） |
| tara | 描いたら（えがいたら） |
| Volitional | 描こう（えがこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 描きましょう（えがきましょう） |
| Imperative | 描け（えがけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym描き出すえがきだすWrittenWritten. Depicts or brings out images and ideas, and can also mean starting to draw; stronger than 「描く」 in emphasizing that something is presented.
- Synonym描写びょうしゃNeutralNeutral noun for portraying scenes or states of mind in words, painting, etc., e.g. 「心理描写」; 「描く」 is the verb.
- Synonym描画びょうがWrittenWritten noun for drawing or rendering, common in computer graphics and technical explanations, e.g. 「描画速度」.
- Synonym描出びょうしゅつWrittenWritten noun for delineating or portraying; rare, seen in literary criticism — in everyday speech say 「描き出す」.
- Related画するかくするWrittenWritten. Draws a line or marks a boundary, mostly in 「一線を画する」「一時代を画する」; does not mean painting pictures.
- Related写すうつすNeutralNeutral. Copying, tracing, or photographing something as it is; 「描く」 stresses drawing or depicting an image yourself.
- Related映し出すうつしだすWrittenWritten. Projects an image on a screen or mirror, or reflects the mood of the times; 「描く」 is active drawing or describing.
- Related言い表すいいあらわすWrittenWritten. Puts something into words, as in 「言葉では言い表せない」; limited to language.
- Related表現ひょうげんNeutralNeutral. Broad word for expressing thoughts and feelings through language, action, or works; 「描く」 centers on depicting concrete images.
- Related示すしめすNeutralNeutral. Shows, indicates, or displays, e.g. data showing a trend; carries no sense of drawing or depicting.
- Related語るかたるNeutralNeutral. Tells or narrates, whether aloud or in writing; 「描く」 stresses sketching out a picture.
- Related述べるのべるWrittenWritten. States opinions or facts in speech or writing, typical of remarks and essays; 「描く」 depicts images and scenes.
- Related引くひくNeutralNeutral. In this sense draws a line, as in 「線を引く」; 「描く」 draws shapes and pictures.
- Related書くかくNeutralNeutral. Writes characters and texts, and can also mean drawing (then usually written 「描く」, read かく); 「えがく」 is more literary.
- Related記述きじゅつWrittenWritten. Records or describes things objectively, as in 「記述式問題」; not concerned with vivid imagery.
- Related表すあらわすNeutralNeutral. Represents, expresses, or symbolizes, e.g. 「感謝の気持ちを表す」; not limited to depiction.
- Related叙述じょじゅつWrittenWritten. Narrates events in order; literary and formal, common in literature and grammar.
- Related画すかくすWrittenWritten. Same as 「画する」; in 「一線を画す」 etc. it means drawing a clear line, not painting.
- Related書き表すかきあらわすWrittenWritten. Writes out or expresses in text; limited to writing, while 「描く」 also covers drawing and imagination.
Use 「描く」 for drawing pictures, depicting scenes, or picturing something in your mind. For portrayal in words use 「描写」, for putting things into language 「言い表す」, and for drawing a clear line 「一線を画す」. 「書く」 is the everyday word for writing (and drawing, read かく); 「写す」 copies or traces; 「表す」 and 「示す」 express or show generally; 「語る」 and 「述べる」 tell or state; 「記述」 records facts objectively, while 「叙述」 recounts events in sequence; 「映し出す」 projects or reflects an image.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
