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おこる Japanese meaning | Kotomora

おこる

お

こ

る

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

catch fire; start burning; burn merrily

usually written using kana alone

Typically used for charcoal or firewood catching fire and burning well. Often implies a lively, steady flame. The kanji 熾 is uncommon.

炭すみがやっとおこった。
The charcoal finally caught fire.
火ひがよくおこって、部屋へやが暖

あたた

かく

なっ

た

。

The fire started burning well and the room became warm.

Kanji

熾kindling fire

Similar words

燃もえる
燃える is a general word for 'to burn' or 'to be on fire', while おこる specifically describes the moment or state of catching fire and burning actively, especially for solid fuels like charcoal.
火ひがつく
火がつく means 'to ignite' or 'to catch fire' in a broad sense; おこる adds the nuance of burning well and steadily, often used for charcoal or firewood.

Etymology

The verb おこる is a native Japanese word. The kanji 熾 is a rare character meaning 'to build a fire' or 'kindle', but the word itself is not derived from the kanji. The historical derivation is uncertain.