気がつく・気が付く|きがつくkigatsuku[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
気がつく気がつく is the more common spelling of this expression. It combines kanji with kana and is the form you are most likely to encounter in writing.
気が付く気が付く is a less common kanji-and-kana spelling. It is nevertheless the form recommended for beginners, so use it as your default when writing.
Definitions
- expression, godan verbto notice; to realize; to realise; to become aware (of); to perceive; to sense; to suspect
- expression, godan verbto be attentive; to be scrupulous; to be observant
- expression, godan verbto regain consciousness; to come to (one's senses); to come round
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 気がつく（きがつく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 気がつきます（きがつきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 気がつかない（きがつかない） |
| polite (masen) | 気がつきません（きがつきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 気がつかず・気がつかぬ（きがつかず・きがつかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 気がついた（きがついた） |
| polite (mashita) | 気がつきました（きがつきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 気がつかなかった（きがつかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 気がつきませんでした（きがつきませんでした） |
| Te form | 気がついて（きがついて） |
| Potential | 気がつける（きがつける） |
| Passive | 気がつかれる（きがつかれる） |
| Causative | 気がつかせる（きがつかせる） |
| Causative passive | 気がつかせられる・気がつかされる（きがつかせられる・きがつかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 気がつけば（きがつけば） |
| tara | 気がついたら（きがついたら） |
| Volitional | 気がつこう（きがつこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 気がつきましょう（きがつきましょう） |
| Imperative | 気がつけ（きがつけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym気づくきづくNeutralAlmost interchangeable with 「気がつく」, just a touch more concise; 「気がつく」 is also the familiar way to praise an attentive person, as in 「よく気がつく人」.
- Synonym感じ取るかんじとるNeutralSensing something through feeling, as in 「雰囲気を感じ取る」; stresses nuanced perception rather than suddenly noticing.
- Synonym悟るさとるNeutralGrasping a truth or reality, as in 「死期を悟る」; implies deep understanding rather than simply noticing.
- Synonym察知さっちNeutralSensing a trend or intention, as in 「危険を察知する」 or 「意図を察知する」; leans formal.
- Synonym感知かんちNeutralPerceiving through the senses, or a device detecting something, as in 「センサーが感知する」; technical flavor.
- Synonym知覚ちかくWrittenWritten register: perceiving through the senses; used in psychology, medicine and the like, as in 「知覚過敏」.
- Synonym認識にんしきNeutralClearly recognizing or understanding a matter or fact, as in 「問題を認識する」; more formal than 「気がつく」.
- Synonym認知にんちNeutralCognition or formal acknowledgment, as in 「認知症」 and 「子を認知する」.
- Synonym感づくかんづくNeutralGetting a vague inkling of something hidden, as in 「秘密に感づく」; mostly used for unpleasant matters or plots.
- Synonym心付くこころづくWrittenWritten register: realizing something or regaining consciousness, but with an old-fashioned air and rare today; say 「気がつく」 in daily life.
- Synonym見て取るみてとるNeutralMaking out a situation by watching, as in 「状況を見て取る」; judging from signs right before you.
- Related察するさっするNeutralReading another person's feelings, as in 「お察しします」; centers on inferring and showing consideration.
- Related捉えるとらえるNeutralGrasping or capturing something, as in 「特徴を捉える」; focuses on seizing the key point.
- RelatedわかるNeutralThe everyday word for understanding; focuses on the outcome rather than the moment of noticing.
- Related見抜くみぬくNeutralSeeing through something, as in 「嘘を見抜く」; stresses penetrating to the essence.
- Related聞き取るききとるNeutralCatching or understanding by ear, as in 「声を聞き取る」; limited to what you hear.
- Related感受かんじゅWrittenWritten register: feeling external stimuli or receiving radio waves; a technical term.
- Related看取かんしゅWrittenWritten register: perceiving by sight, but rare; say 「見て取る」 in everyday use.
- Antonym気づかないNeutralThe negative form: failing to notice, the opposite of noticing with 「気がつく」.
For noticing or realizing something, as in 「間違いに気がつく」, use 「気がつく」 or the near-interchangeable 「気づく」; 「気がつく」 also covers regaining consciousness and being attentive. For a vague sense of a plot use 「感づく」, for grasping a truth 「悟る」, for reading someone's feelings 「察する」, for seeing through things 「見抜く」, and for plain understanding 「分かる」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
