How to say 'Lose' in Japanese | 負ける

Wondering how to say 'Lose' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Lose is 'Makeru', written as 負ける in Japanese.'Lose' in hiragana is まける.

word

負ける

Meaning

Lose

Reading

まける

makeru

Kanji

負Defeat

Explanation

The Japanese verb '負ける (まける)' primarily means 'to lose' in the context of a competition, game, or conflict. It can also imply yielding or giving in to someone or something. This verb is commonly used in both casual and formal settings. For example: I lost the game「試合に負けた」(しあいにまけた). He gave in to the pressure「彼はプレッシャーに負けた」(かれはぷれっしゃーにまけた). Additionally, '負ける' can sometimes be used metaphorically, such as in the phrase '負けないで (まけないで)', which means 'don't give up' or 'don't lose heart'.

Part Of Speech

verb

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

2012

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting

This word is an ichidan verb. To learn how it transforms in different tenses and forms, explore all its conjugations.

Kanji in the Word 負ける

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

負

Meaning

Defeat

Hiragana in the Word 負ける

This word contains 2 Hiragana characters :

hiragana

け

Reading

hiragana

る

Reading

Words Related to 負ける Through the Kanji 負

These 8 Words contain the Kanji 負 as well.

word

負う

Meaning

Bear

word

勝負

Meaning

Match, Contest

word

背負う

Meaning

Carry

word

御負け

Meaning

Bonus

word

負け

Meaning

Loss

word

負担

Meaning

Burden

word

負債

Meaning

Debt

word

負傷

Meaning

Injury

Learn the Word 負ける

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What does 'Makeru' (負ける) mean?

'Makeru' means 'Lose' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.