贈る|おくるokuru[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto give (as a gift); to present
    ドロシーは彼かれにすばらしい贈り物おくりものを贈おくった。↗
    Dorothy sent him a nice present.
  2. godan verb, transitive verbto confer; to bestow; to award
    市長しちょうは彼かれに市しの鍵かぎを贈おくった。↗
    The mayor presented him with the key to the city.
Conjugation
Dictionary form贈る(おくる)
Polite (masu)贈ります(おくります)
Negative (nai)贈らない(おくらない)
polite (masen)贈りません(おくりません)
classical zu / nu贈らず・贈らぬ(おくらず・おくらぬ)
Past (ta)贈った(おくった)
polite (mashita)贈りました(おくりました)
Past negative (nakatta)贈らなかった(おくらなかった)
polite (masen deshita)贈りませんでした(おくりませんでした)
Te form贈って(おくって)
Potential贈れる(おくれる)
Passive贈られる(おくられる)
Causative贈らせる(おくらせる)
Causative passive贈らせられる・贈らされる(おくらせられる・おくらされる)
Conditional (ba)贈れば(おくれば)
tara贈ったら(おくったら)
Volitional贈ろう(おくろう)
polite (mashou)贈りましょう(おくりましょう)
Imperative贈れ(おくれ)

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym贈呈ぞうていFormalA formal noun for presenting gifts or prizes on official occasions, as in 「記念品贈呈」; 「贈る」 is the everyday verb.
  • Synonym贈与ぞうよWrittenA written legal and tax term for transferring property without payment, as in 「贈与税」; 「贈る」 is about gifts and personal sentiment.
  • Synonym進呈しんていFormalA deferential way of saying 'to present', seen mostly in merchants' free-gift notices like 「粗品進呈」; 「贈る」 is more neutral.
  • Synonym寄贈きぞうWrittenWritten word for giving things away, typically donating to institutions such as schools or libraries; 「贈る」 is broader, covering messages and titles too.
  • SynonymプレゼントNeutralEveryday loanword, common in speech, for a gift or giving one; 「贈る」 also covers sending words or conferring titles and sounds more solemn.
  • Synonym授けるさずけるNeutralFor a superior to grant something or impart knowledge, as in 「秘伝を授ける」; 「贈る」 is for giving presents.
  • Synonym進上しんじょうWrittenAn old-fashioned humble term for offering something up; today 「進呈」 or 「差し上げる」 is normally used instead.
  • Related差し上げるさしあげるFormalThe humble equivalent of 「あげる」, used toward superiors or guests; 「贈る」 carries no honorific coloring.
  • Related付与ふよWrittenWritten word for granting rights, titles and the like; 「贈る」 is for giving presents or words.
  • RelatedくれるNeutralUsed when someone gives to the speaker or the speaker's side, so the viewpoint is fixed; 「贈る」 has no such restriction and works for anyone giving to anyone.
  • Related供与きょうよWrittenFound in official documents and diplomacy for providing funds or supplies; 「贈る」 is about giving presents.
  • Related渡すわたすNeutralMeans handing something over to someone, not necessarily as a gift; 「贈る」 stresses the sentiment of giving a present.
  • Related手渡すてわたすNeutralStresses placing something directly into the recipient's hands; 「贈る」 does not limit how it is delivered and can mean sending it.
  • Related授与じゅよFormalA formal noun for officially conferring awards or degrees, as in 「学位授与」; 「贈る」 is more general-purpose.
  • Related贈答ぞうとうWrittenWritten word for the mutual exchange of presents and return gifts, as in 「贈答品」; 「贈る」 covers one-way giving only.
  • Related与えるあたえるNeutralMeans to give or grant, usually from superior to inferior, and also to exert influence as in 「影響を与える」; 「贈る」 adds respect and warm sentiment.
  • RelatedあげるNeutralThe most common everyday word for giving someone something; 「贈る」 is more formal and mostly used for presents and messages.
  • Related捧げるささげるNeutralMeans to dedicate or devote something, as in 「命を捧げる」; 「贈る」 is plain gift-giving with no sense of devotion.
  • RelatedやるCasualColloquial and slightly rough, for giving to peers, inferiors, animals or plants; 「贈る」 is formal and courteous.
  • Related恵むめぐむNeutralGiving money or goods out of pity, or the heavens granting blessings; 「贈る」 implies no pity and covers gifts or conferrals.
  • Related給うたまうWrittenArchaic honorific for a superior bestowing on an inferior; today it survives only in old texts and set phrases.
  • RelatedつかわすWrittenA written, old-fashioned word for dispatching someone or bestowing something; today seen mainly in prose or period dramas.
  • Related奉ずるほうずるWrittenA written word for offering something up or serving a person or creed; not used in everyday speech.
  • Related恵与けいよWrittenA written word for kindly bestowing, also used as an honorific reference to a gift someone gives you; not for daily use.
  • AntonymもらうNeutralThe antonym in direction: it means to receive or be given something, the reverse of 「贈る」.

Use 「贈る」 for giving presents, sending words or conferring titles. In casual speech, giving something is 「あげる」 or 「プレゼント」; for formal occasions say 「贈呈」, and 「授与」 for conferring awards or degrees. Donations to institutions take 「寄贈」, legal transfers 「贈与」, and the humble honorific is 「差し上げる」. For receiving, the opposite is 「貰う」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 【贈】他者たしゃに気持きもちを込こめて(自分じぶんの権限けんげんの範囲はんいで)ものや地位ちい、賞与しょうよ、賞賛しょうさんなどを与あたえる。贈呈ぞうてい、授与じゅよ。
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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