Japanese

知る

しる
Meaning: to know, to be aware of
Part of Speech: Verb

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Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 知る 知らない
Polite 知ります 知りません
Past 知った 知らなかった
Polite + Past 知りました 知りませんでした
Te-form 知って 知らなくて
Potential 知れる 知れない
Passive 知られる 知られない
Causative 知らせる 知らせない
Causative + Passive 知らされる 知らされない
Imperative 知れ 知るな

Handwriting

知
る

Example sentences

I don't know his name.
その秘密は誰も知らない。
Nobody knows that secret.
あいつのことはよく知らない。
I don't know that guy very well.
彼は何でも知っている。
He knows everything.
へえ、それは知らなかった。
Wow, I didn't know that.
子供でさえ知っているような常識だ。
It is common knowledge that even a child knows.
私とて、最初からすべてを知っていたわけではない。
Even I didn't know everything from the start.
このゲームを最短で攻略する方法を知りたい。
I want to know the way to beat this game in the shortest time.
彼は科学界で広く知られている。
He is widely known in the scientific community.
私が知っているかぎりでは、彼は来ないはずです。
As far as I know, he shouldn't be coming.

Usage Notes

Unlike English 'know', 知る focuses on the moment of coming to know something. For states of knowing, use 知っている (know/have knowledge of). 知らない means 'don't know'.

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