Translation guide
To attract and hold someone's attention or affection completely, often through charm, beauty, or interest.
captivate
Most common equivalent for charming or fascinating.
Her singing voice captivated the audience.
Literally 'to pull toward', used for attracting attention or interest, often in a compelling way.
The movie captivated many viewers.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'to steal one's heart', used when someone is completely charmed or captivated.
I was captivated by his smile.
To make someone entranced or in a dreamy state, often used for beauty or music.
The scenery captivated me.
To keep someone's full attention, often through an engaging story, performance, or idea.
To make someone absorbed or engrossed, often used for hobbies, games, or fascinating topics.
The novel captivates readers.
Similar to 引きつける, but often used for abstract things like attention or interest.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'can't take one's eyes off', used when something is so captivating you can't look away.
魅了する implies a more enchanting, almost magical charm, while 引きつける is more about drawing attention or interest in a compelling way. 魅了する is often used for beauty or art; 引きつける can be used for interesting content or personalities.
Her beauty captivates people.
The lecture captivated many participants.
捕らえる means 'to capture' physically (like catching a criminal or animal). Using it for 'captivate' would sound unnatural. Stick to words like 魅了する or 引きつける for the figurative sense.
The magician captivated the children with his tricks.
I was captivated by the beauty of the sunset.
彼の話は聴衆を惹きつけた。
His story captivated the audience.
The game was captivating; I couldn't take my eyes off it.