立て直す・立直す・立てなおす|たてなおすtatenaosu[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
立て直す立て直す is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners. Use it for the listed meanings.
立直す立直す is a less common written variant of 立て直す. It is usable, but it is not the first choice for beginners.
立てなおす立てなおす is less common than 立て直す and 立直す. It is another written variant for the same entry.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto put back up; to stand back up
- godan verb, transitive verbto restore (to former strength); to revive (e.g. the economy); to reorganize; to rearrange; to put right; to recover; to put back on its feet
- godan verb, transitive verbto make again (a plan, policy, etc.); to reformulate; to revise
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 立て直す（たてなおす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 立て直します（たてなおします） |
| Negative (nai) | 立て直さない（たてなおさない） |
| polite (masen) | 立て直しません（たてなおしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 立て直さず・立て直さぬ（たてなおさず・たてなおさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 立て直した（たてなおした） |
| polite (mashita) | 立て直しました（たてなおしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 立て直さなかった（たてなおさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 立て直しませんでした（たてなおしませんでした） |
| Te form | 立て直して（たてなおして） |
| Potential | 立て直せる（たてなおせる） |
| Passive | 立て直される（たてなおされる） |
| Causative | 立て直させる（たてなおさせる） |
| Causative passive | 立て直させられる（たてなおさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 立て直せば（たてなおせば） |
| tara | 立て直したら（たてなおしたら） |
| Volitional | 立て直そう（たてなおそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 立て直しましょう（たてなおしましょう） |
| Imperative | 立て直せ（たてなおせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
景気を立て直す
立ち直る describes a subject recovering or improving on its own, while 立て直す focuses on an agent actively restoring or rebuilding something.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related回復かいふくNeutralA broad word for recovery — from illness, for the economy, or a state returning to normal; 「立て直す」 stresses actively taking steps to rebuild.
- Related復元ふくげんNeutralRestoring buildings, cultural assets, or data to their original state; the emphasis is on returning things to how they were, not reorganizing them.
- Related取り戻すとりもどすNeutralGetting back something you once had, as in 「自信を取り戻す」; the focus is on regaining what was lost rather than rebuilding it.
- Related復旧ふっきゅうNeutralRestoring transport, utilities, or facilities to working order, as in 「線路が復旧する」; typical after disasters or outages.
- Related復するふくするFormalTo return to a former state; very formal and rare in modern Japanese, seen mostly in set phrases like 「旧に復する」.
- Antonym倒れるたおれるNeutralAntonym: to fall over or collapse; the opposite of standing something back up, which is what 「立て直す」 describes.
- Antonym崩れるくずれるNeutralAntonym: to crumble or fall into disarray; the opposite of the rebuilding and reorganizing that 「立て直す」 is about.
「立て直す」 is the default for actively rebuilding something that has faltered, as in 「経営を立て直す」; 「回復」 is general recovery, 「復旧」 restoring services after damage, 「復元」 returning to the original form, 「取り戻す」 regaining what was lost. 「倒れる」 and 「崩れる」 are antonyms.
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
