促うながす

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な

が

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Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

促す · godan verb (-su)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	促うながす	促うながさない
Polite	促うながします	促うながしません
Past polite	促うながしました	促うながしませんでした
Past	促うながした	促うながさなかった
Te-form	促うながして	促うながさないで
Desire	促うながしたい	促うながしたくない
Potential	促うながせる	促うながせない
Passive	促うながされる	促うながされない
Causative	促うながさせる	促うながさせない
Causative passive	促うながさせられる	促うながさせられない
Volitional	促うながそう
Polite volitional	促うながしましょう
Imperative	促うながせ	促うながすな
Conditional	促うながせば	促うながさなければ
Tara conditional	促うながしたら	促うながさなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

urge; encourage; prompt

Used when pressing someone to take action, speak, or pay attention. Often with 注意, 発言, 決断, etc.

先せん生せいは生せい徒とに質しつ問もんするように促うながした。
The teacher urged the students to ask questions.
上じょう司しが彼かれに早はやく決けつ断だんするよう促うながした。
His boss pressed him to make a decision quickly.

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

stimulate; promote; accelerate

Used for fostering growth, development, or a process. Common with 成長, 発展, 経済, etc.

この政せい策さくは経けい済ざい成せい長ちょうを促うながすだろう。
This policy will stimulate economic growth.
適てき度どな運うん動どうは血けっ行こうを促うながす。
Moderate exercise promotes blood circulation.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に〈事こと〉を促うながすto urge someone to do something
先せん生せいは生せい徒とに発はつ言げんを促うながした。
The teacher prompted the student to speak up.
〈事こと〉の成せい長ちょうを促うながすto promote the growth of something
この肥ひ料りょうは植しょく物ぶつの成せい長ちょうを促うながす。
This fertilizer promotes plant growth.
決けつ断だんを促うながすto press someone to make a decision
上じょう司しは早そう急きゅうな決けつ断だんを促うながした。
The boss urged a prompt decision.
〈事こと〉の発はっ展てんを促うながすto stimulate the development of something
新あたらしい政せい策さくは地ち域いき経けい済ざいの発はっ展てんを促うながした。
The new policy stimulated the development of the regional economy.

Expressions

注ちゅう意いを促うながすcall attention to; draw attention to
猛もう省せいを促うながすurge someone to reflect deeply; call for serious self-reflection

Kanji

促stimulate, urge, press

Related words· 12

勧すすめるN3sense 1
勧める means to recommend or suggest something to someone, while 促す means to urge someone into action or speech.
刺し激げきN3sense 2
刺激する describes a stronger, more direct stimulation (physical or mental), while 促す is a milder word for encouraging a process or action.
催さい促そくN2sense 1
催促する is a more insistent, direct demand for someone to act (e.g. pay a debt), whereas 促す is a softer, more general urging.
促そく進しんN1sense 2
促進する is a more formal, technical word for accelerating a process (e.g. economic growth), while 促す can be used in both everyday and formal contexts.

Show 8 more

働はたらき掛かけるN1
促す means to urge or prompt someone directly and often quickly, while 働きかける suggests a sustained effort to approach or influence a target over time.
働はたらきかけ
促す is a verb meaning to directly urge or prompt someone, while 働きかけ is the noun for the broader act of influencing or encouraging.
急せかすN1
促す is broader and more formal, meaning to prompt or urge someone to act, while 急かす specifically means to rush someone because of time pressure.
促そく成せいN1
促す is the everyday verb for prompting or urging something to happen, whereas 促成 is a technical noun/verb used mainly in agricultural contexts for speeding up growth.
駆かる
促す is a milder, more neutral word for prompting or encouraging someone to act, whereas 駆る implies a stronger, often emotional or forceful push.
呼よび掛かけるN2
促す means to prompt or urge someone toward an action, while 呼びかける emphasizes making a public or direct appeal.
助たすけるN4
促す means to prompt or spur something into action, while 助ける in this sense means to facilitate or aid a process already underway.
誘さそうN4
促す means to prompt or spur someone/something into action, while 誘う in its 'arouse' sense focuses on unintentionally triggering an emotion or reaction like tears or laughter.

Opposites

抑よく制せいN1sense 2
抑制する means to suppress or hold back a process, the opposite of 促す's sense of stimulating or accelerating growth.
妨さまたげるN2
促す means to encourage or promote progress, the opposite of 妨げる, which hinders or delays it.
阻はばむN1
促す means to urge or encourage progress, the opposite of 阻む, which blocks or hinders it.

Don't confuse with

捕とらえるN2
促す (うながす, 'to urge/prompt') has a visually similar kanji to 捉える but means something entirely different—prompting action rather than catching or grasping.
そそのかすN1
促す is a neutral verb meaning to urge or prompt someone to act, whereas そそのかす specifically implies pushing someone toward something wrong or unwise.

Written forms

促うながすUsage82%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
うながすUsage18%

Etymology

The kanji 促 combines 人 (person) and 足 (foot), suggesting urging someone forward. The reading うながす is of native Japanese origin, with uncertain further derivation.

Related words· 12

勧すすめるN3sense 1
勧める means to recommend or suggest something to someone, while 促す means to urge someone into action or speech.
刺し激げきN3sense 2
刺激する describes a stronger, more direct stimulation (physical or mental), while 促す is a milder word for encouraging a process or action.
催さい促そくN2sense 1
催促する is a more insistent, direct demand for someone to act (e.g. pay a debt), whereas 促す is a softer, more general urging.
促そく進しんN1sense 2
促進する is a more formal, technical word for accelerating a process (e.g. economic growth), while 促す can be used in both everyday and formal contexts.

Show 8 more

働はたらき掛かけるN1
促す means to urge or prompt someone directly and often quickly, while 働きかける suggests a sustained effort to approach or influence a target over time.
働はたらきかけ
促す is a verb meaning to directly urge or prompt someone, while 働きかけ is the noun for the broader act of influencing or encouraging.
急せかすN1
促す is broader and more formal, meaning to prompt or urge someone to act, while 急かす specifically means to rush someone because of time pressure.
促そく成せいN1
促す is the everyday verb for prompting or urging something to happen, whereas 促成 is a technical noun/verb used mainly in agricultural contexts for speeding up growth.
駆かる
促す is a milder, more neutral word for prompting or encouraging someone to act, whereas 駆る implies a stronger, often emotional or forceful push.
呼よび掛かけるN2
促す means to prompt or urge someone toward an action, while 呼びかける emphasizes making a public or direct appeal.
助たすけるN4
促す means to prompt or spur something into action, while 助ける in this sense means to facilitate or aid a process already underway.
誘さそうN4
促す means to prompt or spur someone/something into action, while 誘う in its 'arouse' sense focuses on unintentionally triggering an emotion or reaction like tears or laughter.

Opposites

抑よく制せいN1sense 2
抑制する means to suppress or hold back a process, the opposite of 促す's sense of stimulating or accelerating growth.
妨さまたげるN2
促す means to encourage or promote progress, the opposite of 妨げる, which hinders or delays it.
阻はばむN1
促す means to urge or encourage progress, the opposite of 阻む, which blocks or hinders it.

Don't confuse with

捕とらえるN2
促す (うながす, 'to urge/prompt') has a visually similar kanji to 捉える but means something entirely different—prompting action rather than catching or grasping.
そそのかすN1
促す is a neutral verb meaning to urge or prompt someone to act, whereas そそのかす specifically implies pushing someone toward something wrong or unwise.