見分ける・見わける|みわけるmiwakeru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
見分ける見分ける is the more common written form and the appropriate default choice for learners.
見わける見わける is a less common written variant; you may encounter it, but 見分ける is the recommended choice for beginners.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto distinguish; to recognize; to recognise; to tell apart; to differentiate
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 見分ける（みわける） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 見分けます（みわけます） |
| Negative (nai) | 見分けない（みわけない） |
| polite (masen) | 見分けません（みわけません） |
| classical zu / nu | 見分けず・見分けぬ（みわけず・みわけぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 見分けた（みわけた） |
| polite (mashita) | 見分けました（みわけました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 見分けなかった（みわけなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 見分けませんでした（みわけませんでした） |
| Te form | 見分けて（みわけて） |
| Potential | 見分けられる（みわけられる） |
| Passive | 見分けられる（みわけられる） |
| Causative | 見分けさせる（みわけさせる） |
| Causative passive | 見分けさせられる（みわけさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 見分ければ（みわければ） |
| tara | 見分けたら（みわけたら） |
| Volitional | 見分けよう（みわけよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 見分けましょう（みわけましょう） |
| Imperative | 見分けろ（みわけろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym区別くべつNeutralNeutral and the broadest of these words: distinguishing, telling apart or treating differently. As a noun it does not specifically mean telling things apart by eye.
- Synonym識別しきべつWrittenWritten/formal prose; identifying things by their features, often technical, as in 「識別番号」. Unlike 「見分ける」 it does not stress using the eyes.
- Synonym弁別べんべつWrittenWritten/formal prose for distinguishing; rare and leaning toward psychology. 「見分ける」 is the common spoken word, focused on seeing differences with the eyes.
- Related見抜くみぬくNeutralNeutral; to see through to the essence or see through a lie. It stresses insight into the truth, not telling two things apart.
- Related見て取るみてとるWrittenWritten/formal prose for making out or grasping a situation; the emphasis is on noticing something, not on telling two things apart.
- Antonym見間違うみまちがうNeutralNeutral antonym: to mistake one thing or person for another. It is the opposite of 「見分ける」, which is about seeing the difference.
- Antonym混同するWrittenWritten/formal prose antonym: to lump things together, failing to keep them distinct — the reverse of 「見分ける」.
「見分ける」 tells things apart by eye, as in 「本物と偽物を見分ける」. 「区別」 covers general distinguishing, 「識別」 technical identification, 「見抜く」 seeing through; 「弁別」 and 「見て取る」 are written/formal prose. Opposites: 「見間違う」, 「混同する」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
