Japanese

かぶる
Meaning: to wear (on head); to overlap; to clash
Part of Speech: Verb Alternative Readings: こうむって

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 被る 被らない
Polite 被ります 被りません
Past 被った 被らなかった
Polite + Past 被りました 被りませんでした
Te-form 被って 被らなくて
Potential 被れる 被れない
Passive 被られる 被られない
Causative 被らせる 被らせない
Causative + Passive 被らされる 被らされない
Imperative 被れ 被るな

Handwriting

被
る

Example sentences

Those two have overlapping personalities.
犯人は仮面を被って銀行に押し入った。
The culprit wearing a mask broke into the bank.
外は日差しが強いから、帽子をかぶったほうがいいよ。
The sunlight is strong outside, so you'd better wear a hat.
自転車に乗る時はヘルメットを被る必要がある。
You must wear a helmet when riding a bike.
彼は風変わりな帽子を被るのが好きで、いつも周囲の目を引いている。
He likes wearing eccentric hats and always attracts the attention of those around him.
ヘルメットを被らずに工事現場に入るのは危険です。
It is dangerous to enter a construction site without wearing a helmet.
その子はとんがり帽子を被っている。
The child is wearing a pointed hat.
あの男は人間の皮を被った獣だ。
That man is a beast in human clothing.

Usage Notes

Originally means putting something on the head (like a hat). In slang, it refers to things that are too similar or duplicate.

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.