萌える|もえるmoeru[0]heiban (flat)

Common
Definitions
  1. ichidan verb, intransitive verbto burst into bud; to sprout
  2. ichidan verb, intransitive verbto have a crush; to be infatuated
    リプレーする度たびに彼女かのじょの反応はんのうにいちいち萌もえてしまいます。↗
    I find myself being enthralled by her reaction each time I replay it.
Conjugation
Dictionary form萌える(もえる)
Polite (masu)萌えます(もえます)
Negative (nai)萌えない(もえない)
polite (masen)萌えません(もえません)
classical zu / nu萌えず・萌えぬ(もえず・もえぬ)
Past (ta)萌えた(もえた)
polite (mashita)萌えました(もえました)
Past negative (nakatta)萌えなかった(もえなかった)
polite (masen deshita)萌えませんでした(もえませんでした)
Te form萌えて(もえて)
Potential萌えられる(もえられる)
Passive萌えられる(もえられる)
Causative萌えさせる(もえさせる)
Causative passive萌えさせられる(もえさせられる)
Conditional (ba)萌えれば(もえれば)
tara萌えたら(もえたら)
Volitional萌えよう(もえよう)
polite (mashou)萌えましょう(もえましょう)
Imperative萌えろ(もえろ)

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym芽生えるめばえるNeutralThe most common everyday choice: plants budding, and figuratively feelings starting to grow, as in 「恋が芽生える」; less literary than 「萌える」.
  • Synonym萌芽ほうがWrittenWritten-style noun for germination, mostly figurative for the first stirrings of something, as in 「文明の萌芽」.
  • Synonym芽吹くめぶくNeutralFor trees putting out new buds, with a seasonal feel of spring; an everyday neutral verb, where 「萌える」 sounds literary.
  • Synonym発芽はつがNeutralThe botanical term for seed germination, as in 「発芽率」; a plain technical noun with none of the literary color of 「萌える」.
  • Synonym生えるはえるNeutralEveryday verb for things growing out — grass, hair, beards, teeth; much broader than 「萌える」 and not limited to new buds.
  • Synonym萌え出すもえだすWrittenWritten-style and uncommon; depicts buds just starting to break out, stressing the beginning of sprouting.
  • Synonym出芽しゅつがWrittenBotanical term for sprouting, also for budding as a means of reproduction; specialized and not often seen.
  • Synonym萌え出るもえでるWrittenA literary verb for new buds emerging; rare in modern use.
  • Related兆すきざすWrittenMostly means signs of something beginning to show — omens, symptoms; sprouting is only a secondary sense.
  • Related萌え立つもえたつWrittenLiterary verb for new leaves coming out in profusion; evokes a whole sweep of fresh green.
  • Antonym枯れるかれるNeutralAntonym: plants withering or dying, the direct opposite of 「萌える」 bursting into bud.
  • Antonym萎えるなえるNeutralAntonym on both counts: plants wilting, and colloquially drive or interest draining away — the opposite of 「萌える」 in both its budding and its colloquial senses.

For plants budding, 「萌える」 is literary — as in 「萌える若葉」 — and in modern colloquial use it means being infatuated with a character. In everyday speech pick 「芽生える」 or 「芽吹く」; for seed germination in scientific contexts use 「発芽」. The antonym is 「枯れる」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 草木くさきの芽めが出でる。きざす。
  2. アニメのキャラクターなどに強つよい愛着あいちゃくを抱いだく。詳くわしくは萌もえを参考さんこう。
Kanji in this word
See also

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