浮く|うくuku[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N2approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, intransitive verbto float
    それから彼女かのじょはあおむけに浮ういていた。↗
    Then she was floating on her back.
  2. godan verb, intransitive verbto become merry; to be cheerful
  3. godan verb, intransitive verbto become loose; to become unsteady
  4. godan verb, intransitive verbto feel out of it; to be cut off (e.g. from those around you); to feel out of place
    Being at the concert hall full of young kids made an old duffer like me feel out of tune.
  5. godan verb, intransitive verbto be frivolous; to be uncertain
  6. godan verb, intransitive verbto have (time, money, etc.) left over; to be saved (e.g. money)
  7. godan verb, intransitive verbto have no basis; to be unreliable
Conjugation
Dictionary form浮く(うく)
Polite (masu)浮きます(うきます)
Negative (nai)浮かない(うかない)
polite (masen)浮きません(うきません)
classical zu / nu浮かず・浮かぬ(うかず・うかぬ)
Past (ta)浮いた(ういた)
polite (mashita)浮きました(うきました)
Past negative (nakatta)浮かなかった(うかなかった)
polite (masen deshita)浮きませんでした(うきませんでした)
Te form浮いて(ういて)
Potential浮ける(うける)
Passive浮かれる(うかれる)
Causative浮かせる(うかせる)
Causative passive浮かせられる・浮かされる(うかせられる・うかされる)
Conditional (ba)浮けば(うけば)
tara浮いたら(ういたら)
Volitional浮こう(うこう)
polite (mashou)浮きましょう(うきましょう)
Imperative浮け(うけ)

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

Transitive / intransitive pair
intransitive浮くうく⇄transitive浮かすうかす
木の葉このはが浮うく
船ふねを浮うかす
浮く emphasizes the event or resulting state, as in 木の葉が浮く, whereas 浮かす foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 船を浮かす.

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym浮かぶうかぶNeutralCovers things rising to the surface or coming to mind, stressing what appears; 「浮く」 stresses floating itself, and also drifting apart from a group.
  • Synonym浮遊ふゆうWrittenDrifting in air or water, as in 「浮遊物」 or 「空中浮遊」; leans toward written use.
  • Synonym浮動ふどうWrittenTechnical term for unsteady, unfixed movement, as in 「浮動票」 (floating voters); mainly jargon, not everyday use.
  • Related浮揚ふようWrittenWritten/formal noun for lifting or buoying up, often of the economy or a hull; not a casual substitute for the verb.
  • Antonym沈むしずむNeutralThe opposite of 「浮く」 in the floating sense: to sink. Also used for feeling down or low.
  • Antonym沈降するWrittenScientific term for sinking down or settling, the opposite of rising 「浮く」; found in technical writing.

For floating, money being freed up, or feeling out of place, use 「浮く」. Say 「浮かぶ」 for something surfacing or coming to mind, 「浮遊」 for drifting in the air, and 「沈む」 for sinking.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 水底すいてい・地上ちじょうなどから離はなれて水面すいめんや空中くうちゅうに留とまっている。
  2. 表面ひょうめんに現あらわれる。
  3. しっかり固定こていされず、ぐらぐらした状態じょうたいになる。
  4. 経費けいひや時間じかんに余あまりが出でる。
  5. 遊離ゆうりした存在そんざいとなる。
  6. 気持きもちがうきうきする。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

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

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