縫う|ぬうnuu[1]atamadaka (head-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto sew; to stitch
- godan verb, transitive verbto weave one's way (e.g. through a crowd)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 縫う（ぬう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 縫います（ぬいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 縫わない（ぬわない） |
| polite (masen) | 縫いません（ぬいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 縫わず・縫わぬ（ぬわず・ぬわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 縫った（ぬった） |
| polite (mashita) | 縫いました（ぬいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 縫わなかった（ぬわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 縫いませんでした（ぬいませんでした） |
| Te form | 縫って（ぬって） |
| Potential | 縫える（ぬえる） |
| Passive | 縫われる（ぬわれる） |
| Causative | 縫わせる（ぬわせる） |
| Causative passive | 縫わせられる・縫わされる（ぬわせられる・ぬわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 縫えば（ぬえば） |
| tara | 縫ったら（ぬったら） |
| Volitional | 縫おう（ぬおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 縫いましょう（ぬいましょう） |
| Imperative | 縫え（ぬえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym裁縫さいほうNeutralA noun for sewing or needlework as a craft; 「縫う」 is the concrete act of putting in stitches.
- Synonym仕立てるしたてるNeutralMeans tailoring or making up clothes, and figuratively training a person; 「縫う」 centres on the act of sewing and also means threading through a crowd.
- Synonym縫い合わせるぬいあわせるNeutralJoins two pieces of cloth by sewing, stressing the stitching-together; 「縫う」 covers sewing in general and also weaving through a crowd.
- Synonym縫合ほうごうWrittenWritten term for stitching things together, especially surgically closing wounds; 「縫う」 is the everyday word.
- Related裁ち縫うたちぬうWrittenWritten-style word for cutting cloth and sewing it up, covering the whole process of making a garment.
- RelatedかがるNeutralFor overcasting edges and darning or mending holes so the thread will not unravel; 「縫う」 is general sewing.
- Related裁ち縫いたちぬいWrittenA written-style noun for cutting and sewing cloth; rare — 「裁縫」 is the usual word.
- AntonymとくNeutralUndoes or unpicks what was sewn, taking stitches out; the opposite of closing something up with 「縫う」.
- Antonym裂くさくNeutralTears or rips something apart by force; the opposite of the joining sense of 「縫う」.
Use 「縫う」 for sewing with needle and thread or for weaving through a crowd. To stitch two pieces together say 「縫い合わせる」; needlework as a craft is 「裁縫」; making clothes is 「仕立てる」; surgical stitching is 「縫合」. 「解く」 and 「裂く」 are its opposites.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
