書き写す・書写す|かきうつすkakiutsusu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
書き写す書き写す is the most common and standard form, written with kanji and kana. Beginners should use it as their default choice.
書写す書写す is a less common kanji-and-kana variant of 書き写す. Learners should normally choose 書き写す instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto copy (down); to transcribe
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 書き写す（かきうつす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 書き写します（かきうつします） |
| Negative (nai) | 書き写さない（かきうつさない） |
| polite (masen) | 書き写しません（かきうつしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 書き写さず・書き写さぬ（かきうつさず・かきうつさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 書き写した（かきうつした） |
| polite (mashita) | 書き写しました（かきうつしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 書き写さなかった（かきうつさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 書き写しませんでした（かきうつしませんでした） |
| Te form | 書き写して（かきうつして） |
| Potential | 書き写せる（かきうつせる） |
| Passive | 書き写される（かきうつされる） |
| Causative | 書き写させる（かきうつさせる） |
| Causative passive | 書き写させられる（かきうつさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 書き写せば（かきうつせば） |
| tara | 書き写したら（かきうつしたら） |
| Volitional | 書き写そう（かきうつそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 書き写しましょう（かきうつしましょう） |
| Imperative | 書き写せ（かきうつせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym写すうつすNeutralNeutral and common in daily use. Covers copying text but also photographing and other reproduction, so its range is wider than 「書き写す」.
- Synonym複写ふくしゃWrittenWritten/formal prose. Copying or photocopying: making multiple copies with a machine or carbon paper.
- Synonym書写しょしゃWrittenWritten/formal prose. Copying or transcribing text; also the school subject of penmanship.
- Synonym書き取るかきとるNeutralNeutral. Writing down what someone says — dictation or notes from speech, as in 「書き取り」.
- Synonym写し取るうつしとるNeutralNeutral. Transcribing or tracing: copying something down as-is or imitating it; very close to 「書き写す」.
- Synonym謄写とうしゃWrittenWritten/formal prose. Copying a text as-is; also printing from a mimeograph plate. The headword is a native Japanese word and more everyday.
- Synonym引き写すひきうつすNeutralNeutral. Copying exactly as-is: word-for-word transcription, or tracing a picture onto another sheet.
- Synonym写字しゃじWrittenWritten/formal prose but rare. Copying characters or text; in everyday speech say 「書き写す」.
- Synonym筆写ひっしゃWrittenWritten/formal prose. Copying by hand rather than by printing.
- Related模写もしゃWrittenWritten/formal prose. Making a faithful copy of a painting or picture; the pick for reproducing artwork.
- Related複製ふくせいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Producing an identical copy of an object — a reproduction or duplicate.
- Related臨写りんしゃWrittenWritten/formal prose but rare. Copying stroke by stroke while looking at the original.
- Related模するもするWrittenWritten/formal prose. Imitating or modeling something on an original, as in 「〜を模した建物」.
Use 「書き写す」 to copy text or pictures as-is onto another surface, e.g. 「黒板を書き写す」. For writing down what you hear, pick 「書き取る」; for reproducing a painting, 「模写」; machine copying is 「複写」 or 「コピー」. 「写し取る」「写す」「引き写す」 are close neutral alternatives, 「写す」 the broadest; the rest are written/formal terms.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
