諭す|さとすsatosu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto make (someone) understand (a fault, mistake, etc.); to reason with; to advise; to try to persuade; to exhort; to admonish; to warn (against doing)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 諭す（さとす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 諭します（さとします） |
| Negative (nai) | 諭さない（さとさない） |
| polite (masen) | 諭しません（さとしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 諭さず・諭さぬ（さとさず・さとさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 諭した（さとした） |
| polite (mashita) | 諭しました（さとしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 諭さなかった（さとさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 諭しませんでした（さとしませんでした） |
| Te form | 諭して（さとして） |
| Potential | 諭せる（さとせる） |
| Passive | 諭される（さとされる） |
| Causative | 諭させる（さとさせる） |
| Causative passive | 諭させられる（さとさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 諭せば（さとせば） |
| tara | 諭したら（さとしたら） |
| Volitional | 諭そう（さとそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 諭しましょう（さとしましょう） |
| Imperative | 諭せ（さとせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym言い聞かせるいいきかせるNeutralNeutral and common in daily life: patiently talking things through so the other person understands; very close in sense to 「諭す」.
- Synonym戒めるいましめるWrittenWritten/formal prose: cautioning someone in advance so they avoid wrongdoing; sterner in tone than 「諭す」.
- Synonym言い聞かすいいきかすNeutralColloquial: telling someone something so they come to understand it; less common than 「言い聞かせる」.
- Related警告けいこくNeutralFormal word: an advance warning of danger or trouble; carries none of the patient guidance of 「諭す」.
- Related諌めるいさめるWrittenWritten/formal prose: remonstrating with a superior, urging them to correct faults — the opposite direction from 「諭す」, which is used on subordinates.
- AntonymしかるNeutralNeutral: scolding or reprimanding someone harshly — the forceful opposite of the gentle reasoning of 「諭す」.
- Antonym責めるせめるNeutralNeutral: blaming or criticizing someone for a fault and pressing them over it — opposed to the patient guidance of 「諭す」.
Use 「諭す」 to gently reason with a junior until they understand. 「言い聞かせる」 is the everyday near-equivalent; 「諫める」 remonstrates upward in formal prose; 「戒める」 and 「警告」 warn rather than guide; 「叱る」 and 「責める」 scold or blame instead.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
