流す|ながすnagasu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto drain; to pour; to run; to let flow; to flush; to shed (blood, tears); to spill
    あんな恐おそろしい男おとこのために流ながす涙なみだはない。↗
    I cannot shed a tear for that horrible man.
  2. godan verb, transitive verbto float (e.g. logs down a river); to set adrift
  3. godan verb, transitive verbto wash away; to carry away; to sweep away
    たくさんの家いえが洪水こうずいで流ながされた。↗
    A lot of houses were washed away by the flood.
  4. godan verb, transitive verbto broadcast; to play (e.g. music over a loudspeaker); to send (electricity through a wire)
    He decided to put the murder trial first in the evening news.
  5. godan verb, transitive verbto circulate (a rumour, information, etc.); to spread; to distribute
    Newspapers distribute information to the public.
  6. godan verb, intransitive verbto cruise (of a taxi); to stroll around (in search of customers, an audience, etc.); to go from place to place
  7. godan verb, transitive verbto cancel (a plan, meeting, etc.); to call off; to reject (e.g. a bill)
  8. godan verb, transitive verbto forfeit (a pawn)
  9. godan verb, intransitive verbto do leisurely (e.g. running, swimming); to do with ease; to do effortlessly
  10. godan verb, transitive verbto exile; to banish
    ナポレオンはセントヘレナ島とうへ流ながされた。↗
    Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena.
  11. godan verb, transitive verb, baseballto hit (the ball) to the opposite field
  12. suffix, godan verbto do inattentively; to do without concentrating; to put little effort into doingafter the -masu stem of a verb
  13. godan verb, transitive verbto cause a miscarriage; to abort
Conjugation
Dictionary form流す(ながす)
Polite (masu)流します(ながします)
Negative (nai)流さない(ながさない)
polite (masen)流しません(ながしません)
classical zu / nu流さず・流さぬ(ながさず・ながさぬ)
Past (ta)流した(ながした)
polite (mashita)流しました(ながしました)
Past negative (nakatta)流さなかった(ながさなかった)
polite (masen deshita)流しませんでした(ながしませんでした)
Te form流して(ながして)
Potential流せる(ながせる)
Passive流される(ながされる)
Causative流させる(ながさせる)
Causative passive流させられる(ながさせられる)
Conditional (ba)流せば(ながせば)
tara流したら(ながしたら)
Volitional流そう(ながそう)
polite (mashou)流しましょう(ながしましょう)
Imperative流せ(ながせ)

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

Transitive / intransitive pair
transitive流すながす⇄intransitive流れるながれる
汗あせが流ながれる
音楽おんがくを流ながす
流れる emphasizes a natural, spontaneous flow (as in 汗が流れる), while 流す indicates that someone or something causes a flow (as in 音楽を流す).

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym注ぐそそぐNeutralPouring into somewhere, as in 「お茶を注ぐ」; the emphasis is on pouring to a place, while 「流す」 is about letting something flow away.
  • Related排水はいすいNeutralRefers to draining out excess water, as in 「排水溝」; leans technical, tied to facilities, while 「流す」 covers all kinds of liquids and objects.
  • Related注ぎ込むそそぎこむNeutralPouring liquid into a container, or devoting money and effort, as in 「全財産を注ぎ込む」; the motion is inward, unlike 「流す」.
  • RelatedつぐNeutralPouring into somewhere, as in 「お茶を注ぐ」; the emphasis is on pouring to a place, while 「流す」 is about letting something flow away.
  • Antonym留めるとどめるNeutralWritten 「止める」, it means to stop something; it stands opposite to 「流す」 in flow versus stop, as in 「水を止める」.

Use 「流す」 to let liquid flow away or wash away, or to play music. Say 「注ぐ」 when pouring into a container, 「注ぎ込む」 when pouring in large amounts of money or effort, 「排水」 for facility drainage, and 「止める」 is the opposite.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 液体えきたいなどが自然しぜんに移動いどうするようにする。
  2. 液体えきたいが物ものを動うごかす。
  3. 水みずなどで汚よごれを洗い落あらいおとす。
  4. 電気でんき・音声おんせい・情報じょうほうなどが伝つたわるようにする。
  5. 実現じつげんさせず不成立ふせいりつとする。
  6. ある動作どうさを力ちからを入いれずに楽らくに行おこなう。
  7. 流産りゅうざんさせる。
  8. 流罪るざいにする。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

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

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