見上げる・見あげる|みあげるmiageru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
見上げる見上げる is the more common written form of this verb and is the usual choice when writing it in kanji and kana.
見あげる見あげる is a less common written variant. You may encounter it in writing, but it is not the first choice for learners.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto look up at; to raise one's eyes見上げると彼が入って来た。↗Looking up, I saw him come in.
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto look up to; to admire; to respect
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 見上げる（みあげる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 見上げます（みあげます） |
| Negative (nai) | 見上げない（みあげない） |
| polite (masen) | 見上げません（みあげません） |
| classical zu / nu | 見上げず・見上げぬ（みあげず・みあげぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 見上げた（みあげた） |
| polite (mashita) | 見上げました（みあげました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 見上げなかった（みあげなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 見上げませんでした（みあげませんでした） |
| Te form | 見上げて（みあげて） |
| Potential | 見上げられる（みあげられる） |
| Passive | 見上げられる（みあげられる） |
| Causative | 見上げさせる（みあげさせる） |
| Causative passive | 見上げさせられる（みあげさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 見上げれば（みあげれば） |
| tara | 見上げたら（みあげたら） |
| Volitional | 見上げよう（みあげよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 見上げましょう（みあげましょう） |
| Imperative | 見上げろ（みあげろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym仰ぐあおぐNeutralAlso means to look up, but is more often used for respecting someone or seeking guidance, as in 「指示を仰ぐ」; 「見上げる」 is mainly about looking up.
- Related仰ぎ見るあおぎみるWrittenWritten/formal prose: gazing up at something with a solemn, reverent tone; 「見上げる」 is the everyday word.
- Related振り仰ぐふりあおぐWrittenWritten/formal prose: turning your head and lifting your face to look up; it stresses the motion and carries no sense of respect.
- Antonym見下ろすみおろすNeutralThe opposite of 「見上げる」: to look down at something from above; it can also mean to look down on people, despising them.
- AntonymうつむくNeutralTo hang or lower your head, often out of shyness or dejection; the opposite of looking up, but not directed at any particular thing.
For looking up in everyday contexts, use 「見上げる」. For reverence or asking for guidance, use 「仰ぐ」. In the other direction, 「見下ろす」 is looking down from above, and 「俯く」 is hanging your head.
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
