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うなずける Japanese meaning | Kotomora

うなずける

う

な

ず

け

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

can agree; can accept; makes sense

usually written using kana alone

Expresses that something is understandable or convincing enough to agree with. Often used when a reason or explanation is acceptable.

See also: 頷く

彼かれの説せつ明めいはうなずける。
His explanation makes sense; I can agree with it.

その

理り

由ゆう

なら

うなずける

。

If that's the reason, I can accept it.

Written forms

うなずけるUsage70%
Kana spelling is standard; usually written in kana.
頷けるUsage25%
- うなずける
  Kanji form using 頷 (nod/agree). Rare in modern writing; kana is strongly preferred.
- うなづける
うなづけるUsage3%
肯けるUsage2%
- うなずける
  Alternate kanji form using 肯 (consent). Very rare; kana is preferred.
- うなづける
首肯けるUsage<1%
- うなずける
  Kanji form using 首肯 (nod/assent). Rare; kana is preferred.
- うなづける

Kanji

頷nod approval
肯agreement, consent, comply with
首neck, counter for songs and poems

Similar words

頷うなずく
うなずく means 'to nod' (physically or in agreement). うなずける is the potential form used idiomatically to mean 'can agree/accept'.
納なっ得とくできる
納得できる also means 'can understand/accept', but is more formal and often used in logical or persuasive contexts. うなずける is more colloquial and implies a gut-level agreement.

Etymology

Potential form of 頷く (うなずく, 'to nod'), which itself is a compound of 項 (うな, 'nape') and 突く (つく, 'to thrust'), referring to the nodding motion. The potential form developed the idiomatic meaning 'can agree/accept'.