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履く (はく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

履はく

は

く

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

Used for lower-body clothing (pants, skirts, underwear) and footwear (shoes, socks). The kanji 履く is general; 穿く is common for pants and skirts.

今日きょうは新あたらしい靴くつを履はいて出でかけた。
I went out wearing new shoes today.
寒さむいので厚あつ手でのズボン

を

履は

い

た

。

I put on thick pants because it's cold.

2

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

wear (a sword at the hip)

Specifically for wearing a sword or similar weapon at the waist. The kanji 佩く and 帯く are rare and mostly historical.

侍さむらいは腰こしに刀かたなを佩はいていた。
The samurai wore a sword at his hip.

3

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

archaic

Archaic use for affixing a bowstring to a bow. Not used in modern Japanese.

古こ文ぶんでは、弓ゆみに弦つるを履はくと記きされることがある。
In classical texts, it is sometimes written as 'to string a bow' using 履く.

Written forms

履はくUsage47%
Primary kanji for wearing lower-body garments and footwear.
はくUsage43%
穿はくUsage9%
Common for pants, skirts, and underwear; often interchangeable with 履く.
佩はくUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji for wearing a sword at the hip.
帯はく
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji for wearing a sword at the hip.
着はく
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji for wearing lower-body clothing; easily confused with 着く (つく).

Kanji

履perform, complete, footgear
穿put on (to the feet), dig, pierce
佩wear, put on (a sword)
着

Similar words

着きる
Used for upper-body clothing and full-length garments (shirts, coats, dresses). 履く is for lower-body items and footwear.
脱ぬぐ
Antonym: to take off clothing or footwear.

Etymology

The verb はく has been used since Old Japanese for putting on lower-body garments and footwear. The kanji 履く is the most common representation, while 穿く is often used specifically for pants and skirts. The sword-wearing sense (佩く, 帯く) and the archaic bowstring sense are historical extensions.

don, arrive, wear

帯sash, belt, obi