Translation guide
The English verb "draw" has many distinct meanings. This guide organizes them by practical use, from most common to niche, with natural Japanese equivalents.
To make a picture with a pencil, pen, or other tool.
General verb for drawing or painting a picture. Can also be written 画く.
彼女は風景を描くのが好きです。
She likes to draw landscapes.
Used for drawing lines, characters, or simple shapes, but primarily means 'to write'. Use 描く for artistic drawing.
Using 書く for drawing a picture can sound like you are writing characters. Stick to 描く for art.
子供が紙に丸を書いた。
The child drew a circle on the paper.
To pull something towards you or along a surface.
General verb for pulling. Used for pulling objects, drawing curtains, drawing a cart, etc.
彼はロープを引いた。
He drew the rope.
カーテンを引いてください。
Please draw the curtains.
Emphasizes a stronger or more forceful pull. More casual than 引く.
To cause people to notice or become interested in something.
Used in phrases like 注意を引く (draw attention) or 興味を引く (draw interest).
そのポスターは多くの人の注意を引いた。
The poster drew a lot of people's attention.
Means 'to gather' or 'collect'. Used for drawing a crowd or drawing attention in the sense of gathering it.
To pull something out from a container, pocket, or source.
General verb for taking something out. Used for drawing a weapon, drawing money from an ATM, etc.
彼はポケットから財布を取り出した。
He drew his wallet from his pocket.
Specifically for pulling out something that is inserted, like a sword from a sheath or a plug from a socket.
侍は刀を抜いた。
The samurai drew his sword.
Often used for withdrawing money or extracting information.
To create a line, boundary, or mark on a surface.
The standard phrase for drawing a line.
定規を使ってまっすぐな線を引いてください。
Please draw a straight line using a ruler.
Also means 'draw a line', but 描く implies a more artistic or careful drawing. 引く is more common for simple lines.
彼は地図に線を描いた。
He drew a line on the map.
To pick something randomly, as in a lottery or game.
Used for drawing lots, cards, or numbers. Also used in gacha games.
くじを引いてください。
Please draw a lot.
トランプからカードを一枚引いた。
I drew a card from the deck.
To move towards something or someone, or to bring something near.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to approach' or 'draw near'. Used for time, events, or physical proximity.
締め切りが近づいている。
The deadline is drawing near.
Transitive verb meaning 'to bring close' or 'draw something near'.
To pull something towards oneself, often used for drawing someone into a hug or drawing an object closer.
To reach a conclusion based on evidence or reasoning.
Standard phrase for 'draw a conclusion'.
そのデータから結論を出すのは難しい。
It's difficult to draw a conclusion from that data.
To derive or draw out a conclusion, often used in formal or logical contexts.
彼は実験から新しい理論を導き出した。
He drew a new theory from the experiment.
描く (えがく) is for drawing pictures, while 書く (かく) is for writing characters. Using 書く for a picture can be confusing. For simple shapes like circles, 書く is sometimes acceptable, but 描く is safer for any artistic drawing.
English 'draw' covers many meanings that require different Japanese verbs. Always check the intended meaning before translating. For example, 'draw a bath' is お風呂を沸かす (おふろをわかす), not 引く.
彼女は美しい絵を描いた。
She drew a beautiful picture.
彼はカーテンを引いた。
He drew the curtains.
そのイベントは大勢の観客を集めた。
The event drew a large crowd.
ATMでお金を引き出した。
I drew some money from the ATM.
ここに線を引いてください。
Please draw a line here.
子供が私の袖を引っ張った。
The child drew my sleeve.
そのイベントは大勢の観客を集めた。
The event drew a large audience.
銀行でお金を引き出した。
I drew some money from the bank.
彼は椅子をテーブルに近づけた。
He drew his chair closer to the table.
彼女は子供を胸に引き寄せた。
She drew the child to her chest.