How to say 'Play' in Japanese | 遊ぶ

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

The Japanese word for Play is 'Asobu', written as 遊ぶ in Japanese.'Play' in hiragana is あそぶ.

word

遊ぶ

Meaning

Play

Reading

あそぶ

asobu

Kanji

遊Play

Explanation

The Japanese verb '遊ぶ (あそぶ)' means 'to play'. It is commonly used to describe engaging in recreational activities, games, or spending leisure time. This verb can be used for children playing, adults enjoying hobbies, or even animals playing. For example: The children are playing in the park「子供たちは公園で遊んでいる」(こどもたちはこうえんであそんでいる). I like to play video games「私はゲームで遊ぶのが好きです」(わたしはゲームであそぶのがすきです). Note that '遊ぶ' can also imply spending time idly or not working, as in 'He is just playing around and not studying'「彼は遊んでいて勉強していない」(かれはあそんでいてべんきょうしていない).

Part Of Speech

verb

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

967

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting

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

Kanji in the Word 遊ぶ

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

遊

Meaning

Play

Hiragana in the Word 遊ぶ

This word contains 1 Hiragana character :

hiragana

ぶ

Reading

Words Related to 遊ぶ Through the Kanji 遊

These 2 Words contain the Kanji 遊 as well.

word

遊び

Meaning

Play

word

遊園地

Meaning

Amusement park

Learn the Word 遊ぶ

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What does 'Asobu' (遊ぶ) mean?

'Asobu' means 'Play' .

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