逃げる・遁げる|にげるnigeru[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
逃げる逃げる（にげる） is the most common written form; beginners should use it as their default when writing or learning this word.
遁げる遁げる（にげる） is a rarely used variant of 逃げる（にげる）; learners will seldom need to choose it, but may encounter it.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto run away; to flee; to get away (e.g. from danger); to escape; to break out; to leave (e.g. one's spouse); to take cover
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto avoid (a question, responsibility, etc.); to evade; to dodge; to shirk; to back away
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto win without being overtaken; to hold off the other contenders (until the finish); to keep the lead (and win)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto escape (of heat, a gas, etc.); to leak out (e.g. of a scent); to be lost (e.g. of flavor)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto fail to hold an ideal postureas 腰が〜 or 体が〜
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 逃げる（にげる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 逃げます（にげます） |
| Negative (nai) | 逃げない（にげない） |
| polite (masen) | 逃げません（にげません） |
| classical zu / nu | 逃げず・逃げぬ（にげず・にげぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 逃げた（にげた） |
| polite (mashita) | 逃げました（にげました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 逃げなかった（にげなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 逃げませんでした（にげませんでした） |
| Te form | 逃げて（にげて） |
| Potential | 逃げられる（にげられる） |
| Passive | 逃げられる（にげられる） |
| Causative | 逃げさせる（にげさせる） |
| Causative passive | 逃げさせられる（にげさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 逃げれば（にげれば） |
| tara | 逃げたら（にげたら） |
| Volitional | 逃げよう（にげよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 逃げましょう（にげましょう） |
| Imperative | 逃げろ（にげろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
犯人が逃げる
逃げる focuses on the subject's own act of fleeing or escaping; 逃がす focuses on releasing or letting someone or something escape, as in 魚を逃がす.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym逃亡とうぼうWrittenWritten: a Sino-Japanese word for fleeing and going into hiding, used of criminals and exiles as in 「国外逃亡」; graver and more formal than 「逃げる」.
- Synonym逃走とうそうWrittenWritten: a Sino-Japanese word seen mainly in news reports, as in 「犯人が逃走中」; highlights the act of fleeing itself.
- Synonym脱走だっそうWrittenWritten: escaping from a place of confinement, as in 「刑務所から脱走する」; also said of pets, 「ペットが脱走」.
- Synonym逃れるのがれるNeutralNeutral: to escape danger or shake off something unwanted, as in 「責任を逃れる」.
- Synonym逃げ出すにげだすNeutralNeutral: to start running away or flee outside, as in 「慌てて逃げ出す」.
- Synonym抜け出すぬけだすNeutralNeutral: to slip away secretly or break free of a difficult spell, as in 「スランプから抜け出す」.
- SynonymトンズラCasualColloquial slang for making a quick getaway, with a jocular, underworld flavor, as in 「トンズラする」; out of place in formal settings.
- Synonym逃げ失せるにげうせるCasualColloquial: to flee and vanish without a trace, stressing complete disappearance, as in 「どこかへ逃げ失せる」.
- Synonym遁走とんそうWrittenWritten: hasty flight, as in 「敵が遁走する」; often describes a beaten enemy fleeing. In everyday speech say 「逃げる」.
- Synonym逃げ去るにげさるNeutralNeutral: to flee the scene and be gone, as in 「犯人は逃げ去った」; stresses the departure itself.
- SynonymずらかるCasualColloquial underworld slang for slipping away, as in 「さっさとずらかる」; carries a criminal flavor.
- SynonymエスケープCasualColloquial loanword for escaping or skipping class, as in 「授業をエスケープする」.
- Synonym逸走いっそうWrittenWritten/technical: mostly for trains or racehorses running off the track; can also describe people or animals fleeing. In daily speech use 「逃げる」.
- Related免れるまぬがれるWrittenWritten: to escape disaster or evade responsibility, as in 「難を免れる」; stresses managing to avoid something.
- Related退散たいさんWrittenWritten: a crowd dispersing or being driven off, as in 「悪霊退散」.
- Related脱出だっしゅつWrittenWritten: getting out of a dangerous place, as in 「火事から脱出する」; stresses making one's escape.
- Related抜け出るぬけでるNeutralNeutral: to slip out quietly (also: to stand out), as in 「会場を抜け出る」; stresses leaving unnoticed.
- Related回避かいひWrittenWritten: avoiding danger or responsibility, as in 「危険を回避する」; on the formal side.
- Related避けるさけるNeutralNeutral: to deliberately keep away and avoid contact, as in 「人目を避ける」; about avoidance rather than flight.
- Related逃散ちょうさんWrittenWritten: a historical term for farmers who abandoned their fields and fled elsewhere to escape crushing taxes.
- Related逃げ走るにげはしるNeutralNeutral: to bolt and run, stressing the act of running, as in 「必死に逃げ走る」.
- RelatedくらますWrittenWritten: hiding or covering one's whereabouts, as in 「行方をくらます」; stresses going into hiding.
- Antonym追うおうNeutralAntonym: to chase from behind, as in 「犯人を追う」.
- Antonym立ち向かうたちむかうNeutralAntonym: to stand up to and fight an opponent head-on instead of fleeing.
For running away, 「逃げる」 is the default. News reports of a suspect fleeing use 「逃走」, fleeing into hiding 「逃亡」, escaping confinement 「脱走」, and getting out of danger 「脱出」. To evade responsibility, use 「逃れる」 or 「回避」. The opposites are 「追う」 (to chase) and 「立ち向かう」 (to confront).
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
