生える To Grow

Meaning

Primary

To Grow

Alternatives

To Spring Up, To Sprout, To Come Out

Word Type

intransitive verb, ichidan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. Remember how 生きる means "to live?" Well this is what happens right after it starts to live. It begins to grow!

Reading

はえる

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

You'll know a seedling has managed to grow when you hear it yell "hah (は)!" in a cute little baby plant voice. "Hah! I knew I could do it! I knew I could grow! Hah!"

Context

Common Word Combinations

• 〜が生える

  毛が生える

  hair grows

  木が生える

  a tree grows

  コケが生える

  moss grows

• 〜に生える

  まばらに生える

  to grow sparsely

  林の中に生える

  to grow in a forest

  すずしいところに生える

  to grow in cool places

Context Sentences

この木にはキノコが生える。

Mushrooms grow on this tree.

サンタクロースには白いヒゲが生えています。

Santa Claus has a white beard.

オレゴン州には、たくさんの木が生えています。

There are many trees growing in the state of Oregon.

Kanji Composition

1. 生

   せい Life