古ふるぼける

ふ

る

ぼ

け

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

look old; become time-worn; get shabby

Describes something that has visibly aged, becoming worn, faded, or musty over time. Often used for objects, buildings, or clothes.

この本ほんは古ふるぼけてページが黄きばんでいる。
This book looks old and its pages are yellowed.
長なが年ねん使つかったソファが古ふるぼけてき

た

。

The sofa I've used for years has become shabby.

Written forms

古ふるぼけるUsage98%
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; the most common written form.
古ふる惚ぼけるUsage2%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 惚 is not standard for this word.
ふるぼけるUsage1%
Kana spelling is acceptable and sometimes used for clarity or in informal writing.
古ふる呆ぼける
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 呆 is not standard for this word.

Kanji

古old
惚fall in love with, admire, grow senile
呆be amazed, disgusted, shocked

Similar words

古ふるびる
古びる also means 'to look old' but often carries a more positive or antique nuance, while 古ぼける implies shabbiness or wear.
古ふるくなる
古くなる is a more general term for 'to become old' without necessarily implying visible wear or shabbiness.

Etymology

Compound of 古 (furu, 'old') and ぼける (bokeru, 'to become senile' or 'to fade'), here meaning 'to become dull or worn with age'. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with aging and deterioration.