まくる

ま

く

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

turn up; roll up; pull up

usually written using kana alone

Transitive use for turning, pulling, or rolling something upward or back, such as sleeves, a hem, or a covering.

手てを洗あらう前まえに袖そでをまくった。
I rolled up my sleeves before washing my hands.

暑あついのでシャツの袖そでをまくった。

I rolled up my shirt sleeves because it was hot.

2

auxiliary verb, godan verb (-ru)

do over and over; do relentlessly; do with abandon

usually written using kana alone

Auxiliary verb attached to another verb's stem, as in 見まくる or 買いまくる. It sounds casual and often implies excessive, energetic, or unchecked repetition.

週しゅう末まつは映えい画がを見みまくった。
I watched movies nonstop over the weekend.
セールで服ふくを買かいまくった。
I bought clothes like crazy at the sale.

3

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

come from behind; overtake; stage a comeback

slangusually written using kana alone

Slang or game/betting jargon, especially in contexts such as mahjong or racing, for overtaking a leading opponent from behind.

彼かれはオーラスでトップをまくった。
He overtook the leader in the final mahjong hand.

Written forms

まくるUsage97%
Kana spelling is preferred for all senses, especially the auxiliary use after another verb.
捲まくるUsage3%
Attested kanji spelling; most natural for the literal sense of turning or rolling something up. The kana spelling is much more common for the auxiliary and slang uses.

Kanji

捲roll, wind, coil

Similar words

めくる
Means to turn over or flip up something like a page or cover; it does not have the auxiliary meaning of doing something repeatedly or recklessly.
巻まく
Means to wind, wrap, or roll something around; まくる is more about turning or rolling something up, and also has auxiliary and slang uses.
続つづける
A neutral way to say 'continue doing'; verb-stem + まくる is more casual and suggests excessive or relentless action.

Etymology

Native Japanese verb. The kanji 捲 is conventionally associated with rolling or turning something up; the exact historical development of the auxiliary and slang extensions is uncertain.