遊ぶ|あそぶasobu[0]heiban (flat)
あすぶasubuok
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Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto play (games, sports); to enjoy oneself; to have a good time
- godan verb, intransitive verbto mess about (with alcohol, gambling, philandery, etc.)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto be idle; to do nothing; to be unused
- godan verb, intransitive verbto meet up (with friends); to hang out
- godan verb, intransitive verbto give oneself up (to gambling, drinking, etc.)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto go to (for pleasure or for study)as 〜に遊ぶ
- godan verb, intransitive verbto tease (someone); to play (with)
- godan verb, intransitive verb, baseballto intentionally throw a ball to lower the batter's concentration
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 遊ぶ（あそぶ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 遊びます（あそびます） |
| Negative (nai) | 遊ばない（あそばない） |
| polite (masen) | 遊びません（あそびません） |
| classical zu / nu | 遊ばず・遊ばぬ（あそばず・あそばぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 遊んだ（あそんだ） |
| polite (mashita) | 遊びました（あそびました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 遊ばなかった（あそばなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 遊びませんでした（あそびませんでした） |
| Te form | 遊んで（あそんで） |
| Potential | 遊べる（あそべる） |
| Passive | 遊ばれる（あそばれる） |
| Causative | 遊ばせる（あそばせる） |
| Causative passive | 遊ばせられる・遊ばされる（あそばせられる・あそばされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 遊べば（あそべば） |
| tara | 遊んだら（あそんだら） |
| Volitional | 遊ぼう（あそぼう） |
| polite (mashou) | 遊びましょう（あそびましょう） |
| Imperative | 遊べ（あそべ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymプレイNeutralLoanword for playing a game, sport, or musical piece, as in 「ゲームをプレイする」; centers on games and sports rather than play in general.
- Synonym戯れるたわむれるNeutralRead 「じゃれる」; typically describes cats, dogs and other animals frolicking and romping about, rather than the broad fun of 「遊ぶ」.
- Related遊戯ゆうぎWrittenWritten word for play and games; it also names the play-and-dance routines done at kindergartens, familiar as 「お遊戯」.
- RelatedふざけるNeutralMeans to joke, prank, or fool around, as in 「ふざけるな」; stresses not being serious, unlike the general enjoyment of 「遊ぶ」.
- Related遊び戯れるあそびたわむれるWrittenLiterary word for frolicking and romping about; rarely used in daily speech, so it cannot casually replace 「遊ぶ」.
- RelatedじゃれるNeutralRead 「じゃれる」; typically describes cats, dogs and other animals frolicking and romping about, rather than the broad fun of 「遊ぶ」.
- RelatedじゃれあうNeutralFrolicking together, romping with each other; used mostly of animals or of close people playing together.
- Antonym働くはたらくNeutralAntonym: to work or labor, the counterpart of playing.
- Antonym勉強するNeutralAntonym: to study or hit the books, the counterpart of playing.
For playing or having fun, 「遊ぶ」 is the default. Use 「プレイ」 for games and sports, 「ふざける」 for joking and fooling around, 「じゃれる」 for animals at play; 「働く」 and 「勉強する」 are its opposites.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
