暮らす・暮す|くらすkurasu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
暮らす暮らす is the most common form and the best choice for learners writing this verb.
暮す暮す is a less common variant of 暮らす; recognize it when you encounter it, but use 暮らす yourself.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto live (on, by, etc.); to lead a life; to get along; to get by
- godan verb, intransitive verbto make a living; to earn a livelihood
- godan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto spend one's time (doing); to pass one's days (doing); to live; to get on (doing)
- suffix, godan verbto do daily; to do all day long; to continue doingafter the -masu stem of a verb
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 暮らす（くらす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 暮らします（くらします） |
| Negative (nai) | 暮らさない（くらさない） |
| polite (masen) | 暮らしません（くらしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 暮らさず・暮らさぬ（くらさず・くらさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 暮らした（くらした） |
| polite (mashita) | 暮らしました（くらしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 暮らさなかった（くらさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 暮らしませんでした（くらしませんでした） |
| Te form | 暮らして（くらして） |
| Potential | 暮らせる（くらせる） |
| Passive | 暮らされる（くらされる） |
| Causative | 暮らさせる（くらさせる） |
| Causative passive | 暮らさせられる（くらさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 暮らせば（くらせば） |
| tara | 暮らしたら（くらしたら） |
| Volitional | 暮らそう（くらそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 暮らしましょう（くらしましょう） |
| Imperative | 暮らせ（くらせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
日が暮れる
日を暮らす
暮れる focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 日が暮れる; 暮らす foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 日を暮らす.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym過ごすすごすNeutralFor spending or passing a stretch of time, as in 「休日を過ごす」; the focus is on how time is spent, while 「暮らす」 covers living over the long term.
- Related生きるいきるNeutral「生きる」 means being alive or surviving, as in 「百歳まで生きる」; it stresses staying alive, while 「暮らす」 stresses living day to day.
- Related生活せいかつNeutralA noun for life or livelihood, as in 「生活費」; it takes an objective view, while 「暮らす」 is a verb with the feel of going about daily life.
- RelatedやっていくCasualColloquial: managing to get by or get along, as in 「何とかやって行ける」; it carries a sense of coping with hardship, unlike plain 「暮らす」.
Use 「暮らす」 for living day to day or getting by over the long term. Choose 「生きる」 for being alive, 「過ごす」 for spending a set stretch of time, 「生活」 when you need a noun, and colloquial 「やって行く」 for managing to get by.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
