賑わう|にぎわうnigiwau[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, intransitive verbto be crowded with people; to be bustling with
    この町まちは以前いぜんほどにぎわっていない。↗
    This city is not so busy as it used to be.
  2. godan verb, intransitive verbto prosper; to flourish; to do thriving business
Conjugation
Dictionary form賑わう(にぎわう)
Polite (masu)賑わいます(にぎわいます)
Negative (nai)賑わわない(にぎわわない)
polite (masen)賑わいません(にぎわいません)
classical zu / nu賑わわず・賑わわぬ(にぎわわず・にぎわわぬ)
Past (ta)賑わった(にぎわった)
polite (mashita)賑わいました(にぎわいました)
Past negative (nakatta)賑わわなかった(にぎわわなかった)
polite (masen deshita)賑わいませんでした(にぎわいませんでした)
Te form賑わって(にぎわって)
Potential賑わえる(にぎわえる)
Passive賑わわれる(にぎわわれる)
Causative賑わわせる(にぎわわせる)
Causative passive賑わわせられる・賑わわされる(にぎわわせられる・にぎわわされる)
Conditional (ba)賑わえば(にぎわえば)
tara賑わったら(にぎわったら)
Volitional賑わおう(にぎわおう)
polite (mashou)賑わいましょう(にぎわいましょう)
Imperative賑わえ(にぎわえ)

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

Transitive / intransitive pair
intransitive賑わうにぎわう⇄transitive賑わすにぎわす
祭まつりで街まちが賑にぎわう
賑わう emphasizes the event or resulting state centered on the place, while 賑わす foregrounds the agent acting on something; compare が with を in the examples.

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Related繁盛はんじょうNeutralA noun for a shop or business doing brisk trade, as in 「商売繁盛」; it stresses good sales, while 「賑わう」 stresses crowds and liveliness.
  • Related繁栄はんえいNeutralA noun for prosperity, as in 「国の繁栄」; typically used of nations or society flourishing over the long term, not a lively scene.
  • Related興隆こうりゅうWrittenA written, formal noun for rise and growth, as in 「文化の興隆」; it stresses emerging and developing rather than a bustling scene.
  • Related栄えるさかえるNeutralA native Japanese verb meaning to prosper, as in 「町が栄える」; it stresses long-term flourishing rather than momentary crowds.
  • Related流行るはやるCasualColloquial verb for being popular or doing good business, as in 「この店ははやっている」; use it for a hit shop instead of 「賑わう」.
  • Related興るおこるNeutralMeans to rise or spring up, as in 「新しい産業が興る」; it stresses something newly emerging, not a place being lively.
  • Related時めくときめくNeutralMeans to be riding high or enjoying great favor, as in 「今をときめくスター」; mostly seen in this fixed phrase.
  • Antonym寂れるさびれるNeutralAntonym: to decline and grow deserted as people drift away, as in 「商店街が寂れる」; the direct opposite of 「賑わう」.
  • Antonym閑散とするNeutralAntonym: to be quiet and deserted, as in 「閑散とした通り」; describes places lacking the bustle of 「賑わう」.

Use 「賑わう」 for crowds and lively bustle, as in 「観光客で賑わう」 or 「祭りで賑わう」. For a shop doing brisk business say 「繁盛」, for a nation's long-term prosperity 「繁栄」, and for a popular shop 「はやる」. The opposites are 「寂れる」 and 「閑散とする」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 人ひとが集あつまるなどして活気かっきが有ある。
  2. 繁盛はんじょうする。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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