Meaning

Primary

To Blow

Word Type

godan verb, intransitive verb, transitive verb

Explanation

Because the hiragana ends with an sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means blow so the verb vocab version is to blow.

This word can be either intransitive or transitive. So, something can be blowing on its own, as in 風が吹く (the wind blows), or you can blow something, like 笛を吹く (to blow a whistle).

Reading

ふく
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The reading is the same as the one you learned with the kanji.

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 風が吹く

    wind blows

    強風が吹く

    a strong wind blows

    追い風が吹く

    a tailwind blows, the wind blows in someone's favor

    北風が吹く

    a wind from the north blows

Context Sentences

手に息を吹きかけた。

I blew on my hands.

彼は楽しそうに口笛を吹いていた。

He was happily whistling.

熱いスープをふうふう吹きながら、飲みました。

I had some hot soup while blowing on it to cool it down.

「追い風が吹いている」と、誰もが言った。しかし、彼だけはまだ油断していなかった。

Everyone said they had the wind at their backs. However, he alone remained cautious.

Kanji Composition