燃える|もえるmoeru[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. ichidan verb, intransitive verbto burn; to get fired up
    火ひがぼんぼん燃もえている。↗
    The fire is burning furiously.
Conjugation
Dictionary form燃える(もえる)
Polite (masu)燃えます(もえます)
Negative (nai)燃えない(もえない)
polite (masen)燃えません(もえません)
classical zu / nu燃えず・燃えぬ(もえず・もえぬ)
Past (ta)燃えた(もえた)
polite (mashita)燃えました(もえました)
Past negative (nakatta)燃えなかった(もえなかった)
polite (masen deshita)燃えませんでした(もえませんでした)
Te form燃えて(もえて)
Potential燃えられる(もえられる)
Passive燃えられる(もえられる)
Causative燃えさせる(もえさせる)
Causative passive燃えさせられる(もえさせられる)
Conditional (ba)燃えれば(もえれば)
tara燃えたら(もえたら)
Volitional燃えよう(もえよう)
polite (mashou)燃えましょう(もえましょう)
Imperative燃えろ(もえろ)

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

Transitive / intransitive pair
intransitive燃えるもえる⇄transitive燃やすもやす
木きが燃もえる
木きを燃もやす
燃える focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 木が燃える; 燃やす foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 木を燃やす.

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym燃焼ねんしょうNeutralA Sino-Japanese noun for burning, technical/scientific in tone (combustion); figuratively, making an all-out effort. Not the everyday verb for catching fire.
  • Synonym燃え盛るもえさかるNeutralFire burning fiercely at full force; figuratively, passion at its height. 「燃える」 just says something burns or one is fired up, without stressing intensity.
  • Related燃え上がるもえあがるNeutralFlames suddenly shooting up; figuratively, emotions flaring. The focus is on the abrupt surge, where 「燃える」 describes burning itself.
  • Related燃え立つもえたつWrittenA literary word for flames leaping up and burning fiercely; found in written prose rather than everyday speech.
  • Antonym消えるきえるNeutralThe opposite of 「燃える」: a fire or light goes out; more broadly, things vanish and feelings fade.
  • Antonym鎮火するWrittenA formal, news-style term for a fire being completely put out; the written opposite of 「燃える」.

Use 「燃える」 for something catching fire or for passion running high. For fierce, roaring flames say 「燃え盛る」, for flames suddenly shooting up 「燃え上がる」, and in technical talk 「燃焼」. When fire dies, use 「消える」 (or formal 「鎮火する」 in news reports).

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 火ひがつき炎えんが出でる。燃焼ねんしょうする。
  2. 感情かんじょうが高たかぶる。何なんかに夢中むちゅうになる。
  3. インターネット上じょうで、ある人物じんぶつや話題わだいに対たいして否定的ひていてきな意見いけんが殺到さっとうする。炎上えんじょうする。
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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