ichidan verb, intransitive verb
take the form of; transform into (supernatural)
Primarily used for supernatural beings such as foxes, raccoon dogs, or spirits changing their appearance. Often appears in folktales and fantasy contexts.
狐が美しい娘に化けて、旅人をだました。
The fox took the form of a beautiful girl and tricked the traveler.
あの老婆は実は狸が化
That old woman is actually a raccoon dog in disguise.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
Used when a person changes their appearance to look like someone else, often for deception or undercover work.
スパイは清掃員に化けて、会社に潜入した。
The spy disguised himself as a cleaner and infiltrated the company.
犯人は警官に化けて逃げようとした。
The criminal tried to escape by disguising himself as a police officer.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
change into; transform; metamorphose
General transformation, not limited to supernatural or disguise. Can describe physical or abstract changes, such as a caterpillar becoming a butterfly or a situation changing completely.
芋虫が美しい蝶に化けた。
The caterpillar transformed into a beautiful butterfly.
彼の不安は怒りに化けた。
His anxiety turned into anger.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
improve dramatically; make a complete turnaround
Describes a surprising, radical improvement in performance, appearance, or value. Often used for actors, athletes, or stock prices that suddenly become much better.
彼はトレーニングを積んで、別人のように化けた。
He trained hard and transformed into a completely different player.
あの俳優はこの役で見事に化けた。
That actor made a stunning transformation in this role.