冴さえる

さ

え

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

冴える · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	冴さえる	冴さえない
Polite	冴さえます	冴さえません
Past polite	冴さえました	冴さえませんでした
Past	冴さえた	冴さえなかった
Te-form	冴さえて	冴さえないで
Desire	冴さえたい	冴さえたくない
Potential	冴さえられるalso 冴さえれる	冴さえられないalso 冴さえれない
Passive	冴さえられる	冴さえられない
Causative	冴さえさせる	冴さえさせない
Causative passive	冴さえさせられる	冴さえさせられない
Volitional	冴さえよう
Polite volitional	冴さえましょう
Imperative	冴さえろ	冴さえるな
Conditional	冴さえれば	冴さえなければ
Tara conditional	冴さえたら	冴さえなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

clear; bright; vivid; crisp

Describes sensory clarity: sharp sight, clear sound, vivid color, crisp air, etc.

空くう気きが冴さえていて、遠とおくの山やまがよく見みえる。
The air is clear, and I can see the distant mountains well.
彼かの女じょの声こえはとても冴さえていて、会かい場じょう中じゅうに響ひびいた。
Her voice was very clear and resonated throughout the hall.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

clear-headed; alert; sharp

Refers to mental sharpness, being wide awake, or having one's wits about them.

朝あさのコーヒーで頭あたまが冴さえてきた。
My head cleared up with the morning coffee.
彼かれは徹てつ夜や明あけなのに、意い外がいと冴さえている。
Even though he pulled an all-nighter, he's surprisingly alert.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

upbeat; cheerful; satisfying

Often used in the negative form 冴えない to mean 'gloomy', 'dull', or 'unsatisfying'. The positive form is less common but can describe a perky or cheerful state.

今日きょうはなんだか冴さえない気き分ぶんだ。
I feel kind of down today.
彼かれの冗じょう談だんは冴さえなくて、誰だれも笑わらわなかった。
His joke fell flat and nobody laughed.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

excel at; master; execute cleanly

Used for skills, performances, or techniques that are sharp and well-executed.

彼かれのピアノの演えん奏そうは本ほん当とうに冴さえている。
His piano performance is truly brilliant.
今日きょうはバッティングが冴さえていて、ホームランを三さん本ぼん打うった。
My batting was on fire today; I hit three home runs.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

become frigid; become intensely cold

Original meaning; now somewhat old-fashioned. Refers to the cold becoming sharp and piercing.

冬ふゆの夜よる、空くう気きが冴さえ渡わたる。
On a winter night, the air becomes piercingly cold.

See all 58 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

頭あたまが〈動どう詞し〉for one's mind to become clear/sharp
コーヒーを飲のんだら頭あたまが冴さえてきた。
After drinking coffee, my mind became sharp and alert.
腕うでが〈動どう詞し〉for one's skill to shine/be executed flawlessly
彼かれの料りょう理りの腕うでは本ほん当とうに冴さえている。
His cooking skill is truly masterful.
冴さえた〈物もの〉a crisp/vivid ~ (color, sound, sky, etc.)
冴さえた青あお空ぞらが広ひろがっていた。
A crisp, clear blue sky stretched out overhead.

Expressions

冴さえないdull; dreary; sullen; depressed · dissatisfying; disappointing; lackluster; inadequate · unattractive; unappealing · boring; uninteresting
目めが冴さえるbe wide-awake; be unable to sleep
冴さえ冴ざえしたcheerful (look); healthy (complexion)
冴さえ冴ざえとしたcheerful (look); healthy (complexion)

Kanji

冴be clear, serene, cold
冱freeze, be cold, be clear

Related words

鮮あざやかN2sense 1
鮮やか is an adjective describing vivid, brilliant colors or skillful technique, while 冴える is a verb that conveys the same idea of sharp clarity through a state-change nuance.
澄すむN2sense 1
澄む focuses on clarity of sound, water, or air becoming clear, whereas 冴える covers a broader range of sensory sharpness including light and color.
鋭するどいN3sense 2
鋭い is an adjective meaning sharp or keen (as in intellect or senses), while 冴える is a verb describing the state of becoming or being mentally sharp.
際きわ立だつN1sense 4
際立つ means to stand out or be conspicuous, close to 冴える's sense of a skill or performance being sharply excellent.
透すき通とおるN2
冴える describes a voice, sound, or mind being sharp and vivid, while 透き通る specifically emphasizes pure, ringing clarity of tone.

Opposites

鈍にぶるN1sense 2
鈍る means to become dull or blunt, the opposite of 冴える's sense of becoming sharp or clear-headed.
ぼやけるN1sense 1
ぼやける describes something becoming blurry or fuzzy, the opposite of 冴える's sense of becoming vivid and clear.
冴さえないN1
冴える means to be sharp, clear, or brilliant (in mind, skill, or appearance), the direct opposite of the dullness expressed by 冴えない.

Don't confuse with

冷ひえるN4
冷える is the common everyday verb for something becoming cold, while 冴える's cold-related sense is archaic and specifically describes a piercing, sharp cold.
覚さめるN3sense 2
覚める means to wake up or become conscious, which learners can confuse with 冴える's sense of the mind becoming sharp and alert.
目めが冴さえるN1
冴える alone means 'to be clear, sharp, or skilled,' while 目が冴える is a fixed idiom specifically describing being too alert to sleep.

Word family· 8

冴さえ
clarity; sharpness; lucidity · skillfulness; adeptness; brilliance
冴さえ冴ざえ
clearly; brightly; freshly
冴さえ渡わたる
clear; distinct; sharp · skillful; deft; well-executed · get cold; freeze over
冴さえ行ゆく
clear gradually; get cold gradually
冴さえ輝かがやく
shine clearly; shine brilliantly

Show 3 more

冴さえ返かえる
become very clear; sharpen · become keenly cold; cold and clear
腕うでの冴さえ
dexterity; skill
頭あたまの冴さえ
mental sharpness; clarity of mind; bright intelligence

Written forms

冴さえるUsage64%
Standard kanji spelling.
さえるUsage36%
冱さえる
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

Originally meant 'to become clear/cold' (as of weather or air). The modern senses of mental clarity and skill sharpness developed metaphorically from the idea of crisp, clear air.