消える|きえるkieru[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto disappear; to vanish; to go out of sight; to go away; to become lost
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto go out (of a fire, light, etc.); to die; to turn off (e.g. of a TV screen)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto fade (of a feeling, impression, etc.); to vanish (e.g. of hope)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto go away (e.g. of a smell, itchiness, sleepiness); to disappear; to fade away (e.g. of footsteps)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto wear away (e.g. of an inscription); to rub out (of writing); to fade (e.g. of ink)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto be lost (e.g. of a tradition); to die out; to disappear
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 消える（きえる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 消えます（きえます） |
| Negative (nai) | 消えない（きえない） |
| polite (masen) | 消えません（きえません） |
| classical zu / nu | 消えず・消えぬ（きえず・きえぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 消えた（きえた） |
| polite (mashita) | 消えました（きえました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 消えなかった（きえなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 消えませんでした（きえませんでした） |
| Te form | 消えて（きえて） |
| Potential | 消えられる（きえられる） |
| Passive | 消えられる（きえられる） |
| Causative | 消えさせる（きえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 消えさせられる（きえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 消えれば（きえれば） |
| tara | 消えたら（きえたら） |
| Volitional | 消えよう（きえよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 消えましょう（きえましょう） |
| Imperative | 消えろ（きえろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
火が消える
火を消す
消える focuses on the fire going out spontaneously, whereas 消す focuses on an agent extinguishing it.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymなくなるNeutralNeutral. Things lost, used up or gone, stressing they no longer exist; 「消える」 stresses something that was there — a thing, a light, a sound — ceasing to be.
- Synonym消え入るきえいるWrittenWritten. A voice fading until it dies away, or feeling one would sink from shame, as in 「消え入りそうな声」.
- Synonym消滅しょうめつWrittenWritten Sino-Japanese word for ceasing to exist; also rights lapsing, as in 「権利が消滅する」.
- Synonym消失しょうしつWrittenWritten Sino-Japanese word for vanishing, mostly in objective description, as in 「データが消失する」.
- Synonym果てるはてるWrittenWritten. Things coming to an end, or a person dying, as in 「命が果てる」; also serves as an auxiliary verb.
- Synonym消え去るきえさるNeutralNeutral intransitive. Vanishing completely without a trace — more thorough than 「消える」.
- Synonym消え失せるきえうせるCasualColloquial. Vanishing completely, stronger than 「消える」; often with dislike, as in 「消え失せろ」.
- Synonym失せるうせるCasualColloquial. To vanish or leave, as in 「やる気が失せる」; the imperative 「失せろ」 is a rude insult.
- Synonym掻き消えるかききえるWrittenWritten. Sounds, light or smells suddenly vanishing without a trace, stressing an instant disappearance.
- Synonym失せ去るうせさるWrittenWritten. A figure or presence leaving and vanishing; very rare.
- Synonym消散しょうさんWrittenWritten. Fog, doubts and the like dispersing and vanishing; very rare.
- Synonym立ち消えるたちぎえるWrittenWritten. A fire dying out midway, or plans falling through halfway, as in 「計画が立ち消えになる」.
- SynonymはかなくなるWrittenWritten euphemism for a person dying, with an old-fashioned air; for 「消える」 death is only an extended sense.
- Synonym潰えるついえるWrittenWritten. Dreams or plans collapsing, or an army being routed, with a tragic, solemn feel.
- Related消去しょうきょWrittenWritten. Mostly transitive: deleting or erasing text and data, as in 「消去法」.
- Related吹き飛ぶふきとぶNeutralNeutral. Blown away; figuratively fatigue or worries vanishing at a stroke, as in 「疲れが吹き飛ぶ」.
- Related吹っ飛ぶふっとぶCasualColloquial. Blown off violently, or worries gone in an instant; more casual than 「吹き飛ぶ」.
- Related蒸発じょうはつNeutralNeutral. Liquid evaporating; figuratively a person vanishing abruptly, as in 「夫が蒸発した」.
- Related滅びるほろびるWrittenWritten. Nations or species declining into extinction, stressing the fall of a whole, as in 「文明が滅びる」.
- Related隠れるかくれるNeutralNeutral. Hidden from view or in hiding, while the thing is still there; 「消える」 can also mean leaving one's view, but mostly implies it is no longer there.
- Related失踪しっそうWrittenWritten. A person going missing, mostly in news and legal contexts, as in 「失踪届」.
- Related消し去るけしさるNeutralNeutral transitive. Wiping something out completely, as in 「雨が足跡を消し去る」; 「消える」 is intransitive.
- Related消除しょうじょWrittenWritten. Deleting or cancelling, as in 「登録を消除する」; mostly in administrative documents.
- Related没するぼっするWrittenWritten. Sinking or fading from view; also a person passing away, as in 「水中に没する」.
- Related絶え入るたえいるWrittenWritten. Drawing one's last breath; also a voice or breath about to break, as in 「絶え入るような声」.
- RelatedドロンCasualColloquial mimetic slang for suddenly slipping away, as in 「ドロンする」, with a joking tone.
- Relatedお隠れになるおかくれになるFormalHonorific for the death of an exalted or respected person, often the Emperor or nobility; 「消える」 carries no such respect.
- Antonym現れるあらわれるNeutralNeutral antonym. What was invisible appearing or coming into view — the opposite of 「消える」.
- Antonym出現するWrittenWritten antonym. New things appearing, as in 「新種が出現する」.
For something disappearing, 「消える」 is the default — objects, lights, sounds and feelings all work. Use 「無くなる」 when a thing is lost or gone, 「隠れる」 when it is merely hidden, and 「失踪」 or 「蒸発」 for a missing person. In written prose prefer 「消失」 or 「消滅」. For the opposite, use 「現れる」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
