俯うつぶせ

う

つ

ぶ

せ

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Describes a person or object in a face-down position. Often used with に or で to indicate posture.

Refers to the action or state of putting something face down, such as a card, photo, or device. Often used with にする.

〈人ひと〉がうつ伏ぶせに寝ねるfor someone to sleep lying face down
赤あかちゃんがうつ伏ぶせに寝ねていて心しん配ぱいになった。
I got worried because the baby was sleeping face down.
〈人ひと〉をうつ伏ぶせにするto turn someone onto their front
看かん護ご師しは患かん者じゃをうつ伏ぶせにして背せ中なかを診しん察さつした。
The nurse turned the patient face down to examine their back.
〈物もの〉をうつ伏ぶせに置おくto place an object face down
写しゃ真しんをうつ伏ぶせに置おいて見みえないようにした。
I placed the photo face down so it couldn't be seen.

腹はらばい sense 1
腹ばい emphasizes lying or crawling flat on one's stomach, while うつ伏せ simply describes the face-down posture without implying movement.

仰あお向むけN1sense 1
仰向け means lying face up (supine), the direct opposite of うつ伏せ, which means lying face down.

俯うつぶせ
High-priority form; 俯 is a less common kanji but this spelling is well-established.
うつぶせUsage60%
Kana spelling is practical and avoids rare kanji.
うつ伏ぶせUsage40%
Commonly used spelling; the kanji 伏せ conveys 'lying face down' clearly.

Compound of うつ (possibly related to 空 or 虚, meaning 'hollow' or 'empty') and 伏せ (from 伏せる, 'to lie face down'). The exact origin of うつ is uncertain.