褪あせる

あ

せ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

褪せる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	褪あせる	褪あせない
Polite	褪あせます	褪あせません
Past polite	褪あせました	褪あせませんでした
Past	褪あせた	褪あせなかった
Te-form	褪あせて	褪あせないで
Desire	褪あせたい	褪あせたくない
Potential	褪あせられるalso 褪あせれる	褪あせられないalso 褪あせれない
Passive	褪あせられる	褪あせられない
Causative	褪あせさせる	褪あせさせない
Causative passive	褪あせさせられる	褪あせさせられない
Volitional	褪あせよう
Polite volitional	褪あせましょう
Imperative	褪あせろ	褪あせるな
Conditional	褪あせれば	褪あせなければ
Tara conditional	褪あせたら	褪あせなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

fade; lose color; discolor

Used for colors, photographs, fabrics, and other visible things losing their original color or brightness over time.

日ひに当あたってカーテンの色いろが褪あせてしまった。
The curtain color faded from exposure to the sun.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

fade; diminish; wane

Figurative use for memories, feelings, excitement, or qualities losing their strength or vividness.

時じ間かんが経たつにつれて、その記き憶おくも褪あせていった。
As time passed, that memory faded as well.
彼かの女じょへの情じょう熱ねつはもう褪あせてしまった。
My passion for her has already faded.

See all 22 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉の色いろが褪あせるthe color of something fades
古ふるいカーテンの色いろが褪あせてしまった。
The old curtains have faded in color.
褪あせた〈物もの〉a faded thing (photo, cloth, etc.)
アルバムには褪あせた写しゃ真しんがたくさんあった。
There were many faded photos in the album.
記き憶おくが褪あせるa memory fades
月つき日ひが経たつにつれ、あの日ひの記き憶おくも褪あせていった。
As time passed, the memory of that day gradually faded.
感かん動どうが褪あせるthe sense of excitement/emotion fades
何なん度ども見みると、映えい画がへの感かん動どうも褪あせてくる。
Watching it over and over, the excitement for the movie starts to fade.

Kanji

褪fade, discolour

Related words

色いろ褪あせる sense 1
色褪せる is a compound verb used specifically for colors literally fading, while 褪せる can also be used figuratively for memories or feelings.
薄うすれる sense 2
薄れる means to become faint or thin (of memory, awareness, etc.), whereas 褪せる specifically stresses the loss of original vividness or brightness.
退たい色しょく sense 1
退色する is a more technical, formal term for color fading (e.g. of dyes or prints), while 褪せる is the everyday word for the same phenomenon.
衰おとろえるN2sense 2
衰える means to decline or weaken (strength, health, power), while 褪せる in its figurative sense focuses on emotions or memories losing vividness rather than physical decline.

Opposites

染そまるN1
褪せる means a color fades or weakens, the opposite of 染まる, which means a color is newly absorbed or takes hold.

Don't confuse with

焦あせるN2
焦る (あせる) means to hurry or feel impatient, a completely different word from 褪せる (あせる) meaning to fade, though the two are pronounced identically.

Word family

色いろ褪あせる
fade; lose color; become dull · lose vividness; become stale; pale

Written forms

褪あせるUsage51%
Standard kanji spelling for fading of color, memory, or intensity.
あせるUsage49%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the figurative sense.

Etymology

The kanji 褪 is composed of 衣 (clothing) and 退 (retreat, withdraw), suggesting the idea of color retreating from cloth. The reading あせる is a native Japanese verb.