化・
化 on the end of a word names a change into that thing, like "-ization": 高齢化 is a population growing older, 映画化 is making a story into a film. With する it is a verb.
noun
The population in this area is aging rapidly.
verb
That novel is being made into a film next year.
As a noun
Noun or な-adjective + 化
A kanji word or a katakana word: デジタル化, going digital; 複雑化, getting more complicated.
As a verb
… 化 + する
An ordinary する verb: 化した, 化している, 化される.
- After it
- As a noun, very often が進む (it is advancing) or を進める (someone is pushing it ahead).
- Where you'll meet it
- Mostly written: the news, business, official papers. A few are everyday words: 温暖化, 映画化.
Words you'll meet
少子化the falling birth rate
Something has to be done about the falling birth rate.
温暖化global warming
Because of global warming, summers are getting hotter every year.
デジタル化going digital
The city is working to digitize its procedures.
キャッシュレス化going cashless
Cashless payment has really been spreading lately, hasn't it?
が or を: who makes the change
When something changes by itself, it takes が. When someone changes it, it takes を, and if nobody is named the verb is usually passive.
Ways of working are rapidly becoming more varied.
It is changing by itself: が.
The company moved its application procedure online.
Someone changed it: を.
In this town, they have started charging for garbage bags.
Someone changed it, and the sentence doesn't say who: the passive.
Close neighbours
くなる・になるN5
The everyday way to say something became so. 化 packs the same change into one word, and sounds like a report.
With more people in charge, keeping in touch got complicated.
In a report: 連絡方法が複雑化した.
Check yourself
1Which particle?
日本の
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which particle?
テレビ局が
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
To say what causes a by-itself change, the verb becomes 化させる: 悪化させる, to make something worse.
Frequent policy changes are making the work more complicated.
The same 化 ends many two-kanji words: 変化 (change), 悪化 (getting worse), 強化 (strengthening).
More sentences
With the spread of subscription services, the ways people listen to music have become more varied.
The research team visualized the survey results with graphs.
The two companies are working to standardize their systems.