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わきまえる Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
ichidan verb, transitive verb
discern ; distinguish ; tell apart
usually written using kana alone
Used for recognizing a difference, especially between right and wrong, good and bad, or what is appropriate. Often appears in contexts of moral judgment or social awareness.
状じょう 況きょう を わきまえ た 発はつ 言げん を し て ください 。
Please make a remark that takes the situation into account.
2
ichidan verb, transitive verb
know one's place ; understand proper behavior ; bear in mind
usually written using kana alone
Refers to knowing and observing social norms, manners, or one's own position. Often used in the negative to criticize someone who acts out of line.
Written forms わきまえる Usage 84%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 弁える is also common and acceptable.
弁わきま える Usage 16%
Common kanji spelling; the kana form is more frequent in modern usage.
辨わきま える
out-dated kanji form
Outdated kanji form; not used in modern Japanese.
Kanji 辨 discrimination, dispose of, distinguish Similar words 見み 分わ ける 見分ける focuses on visually distinguishing things or people, while わきまえる is more about discerning abstract qualities or social norms.
心こころ 得え る 心得る also means to know or understand rules and manners, but it often implies having learned them beforehand, whereas わきまえる emphasizes the ability to apply that knowledge in practice.
Etymology Derived from the verb わきまう (wakimau) in classical Japanese, meaning to distinguish or separate. The kanji 弁 is used for its meaning of 'discernment' or 'speech', but the word itself is of native Japanese origin.
