JLPT N1Mostly writtenA handful of words

びるcome to look (grown-up, old)

A look that has come by itself: a child who seems grown-up, a shop grown old and worn. Only a handful of words have it, so these are words to recognize, not a suffix to use.

背せが伸のびて、少しょう年ねんの顔かおつきは急きゅうに大人おとなびてきた。

As the boy grew taller, his face suddenly began to look grown-up.

before a noun

駅えき前まえに、古ふるびた喫きっ茶さ店てんが一いっ軒けん残のこっている。

One old, worn coffee shop is still there in front of the station.

How to form it

大人おとな → 大人おとなびる　／　古ふるい → 古ふるびる

A noun, or an い-adjective without its い, and only the few words below. You mostly meet びた before a noun and びている; for a change, びてきた.

Said about: 大人おとなびる of someone young, not yet an adult. The others of things and places.
Tone: A description, with no blame in it.
Where you'll meet it: Mostly novels, essays and travel writing. In conversation people more often say 大人おとなっぽい and 古ふるい.

The words you will meet

大人おとなびるlook or seem grown-up for your age

彼かの女じょはまだ若わかいが、話はなし方かたは落おち着ついていて大人おとなびている。

She is still young, but she speaks calmly and seems older than her years.

古ふるびるgrow old and worn

雨あめ風かぜにさらされ、門もんの木もく材ざいはすっかり古ふるびていた。

Exposed to the wind and rain, the wood of the gate had grown old and worn.

ひなびるbe rustic and out of the way, said with liking

山やま奥おくのひなびた温おん泉せん宿やどに泊とまった。

We stayed at a quiet, rustic hot-spring inn deep in the mountains.

田舎いなかびるlook countrified

駅えきを離はなれると、田舎いなかびた風ふう景けいが広ひろがっていた。

Away from the station, a rustic landscape opened out.

That is nearly the whole set, and nothing new is made with it.

大人おとなびる or 大人おとなぶる?

妹いもうとは中ちゅう学がく生せいなのに、大人おとなびた話はなし方かたをする。

My sister is only in junior high, but she talks like someone much older.

How she comes across. Nobody is putting on an act.

妹いもうとは中ちゅう学がく生せいなのに、大人おとなぶった話はなし方かたをする。

My sister is only in junior high, but she puts on a grown-up way of talking.

An act, put on to be seen, and you aren't impressed.

びる is a look that has come by itself. ぶる is a show.

Close neighbours

ぶるN1

A show put on to be seen, and it grates on the person saying it: 偉えらぶる, いい子こぶる. Everyday, and people make new ones.

彼かれは専せん門もん家かぶって難むずかしい言こと葉ばばかり使つかう。

He plays the expert and uses nothing but difficult words.

めく・めいたN1

Also a short list, of other words: the seasons, and kinds of talk. 春はるめく, 皮ひ肉にくめいた.

朝あさの風かぜが柔やわらかくなり、町まちは急きゅうに春はるめいてきた。

The morning breeze softened, and the town suddenly began to feel like spring.

っぽいN3

A casual "-ish": a touch of something, often said as a complaint. 子こどもっぽい is "childish".

彼かれは考かんがえ方かたが子こどもっぽい。

His way of thinking is childish.

Check yourself

1What does this say about the child?

隣となりの子こは、まだ十じゅっ歳さいなのに大人おとなびている。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

三さん月がつに入はいって、日ひ差ざしが春はる（　　）きた。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

卒そつ業ぎょう式しきで見みた弟おとうとは、急きゅうに大人おとなびたように感かんじられた。

When I saw my little brother at his graduation, he suddenly seemed grown-up.

海うみ辺べの小ちいさな町まちには、少すこし田舎いなかびた雰ふん囲い気きがあった。

The little seaside town had a slightly rustic feel to it.