驚く To Be Surprised

Meaning

Primary

To Be Surprised

Alternative

To Be Shocked

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

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

Reading

おどろく

Explanation

What are you so surprised by? Your friend's odor (おどろ). Think of a friend that you wouldn't expect to be so smelly. Then, be surprised by the odor. Eww, bro, you have to take a shower.

Context

Context Sentences

マジで？それは驚くわ。

Seriously? That's surprising.

サプライズパーティーに驚くふりをしました。

I pretended to be surprised at the surprise party.

妹が「新しい彼氏できた」と言って連れてきたのが、元カレの父親で驚いた。

My sister said, "I got a new boyfriend," and I was surprised that she had brought home my ex's dad.

「フグ？お前、フグか？」「サーモンか？こいつは驚いた。高校以来だね。元気かい？」

"Fugu? Is that you, Fugu?" "Salmon? I'll be damned. I haven't seen you since high school. How are you?"

Kanji Composition

1. 驚

   きょう Surprised