叶かなう

か

な

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

叶う · godan verb (-u)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	叶かなう	叶かなわない
Polite	叶かないます	叶かないません
Past polite	叶かないました	叶かないませんでした
Past	叶かなった	叶かなわなかった
Te-form	叶かなって	叶かなわないで
Desire	叶かないたい	叶かないたくない
Potential	叶かなえる	叶かなえない
Passive	叶かなわれる	叶かなわれない
Causative	叶かなわせる	叶かなわせない
Causative passive	叶かなわせられるalso 叶かなわされる	叶かなわせられないalso 叶かなわされない
Volitional	叶かなおう
Polite volitional	叶かないましょう
Imperative	叶かなえ	叶かなうな
Conditional	叶かなえば	叶かなわなければ
Tara conditional	叶かなったら	叶かなわなかったら

Pairs with叶える

Meanings

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

come true; be realized; be fulfilled; be granted; be answered; be requited

Intransitive verb used for wishes, dreams, prayers, hopes, and love becoming reality. Often paired with 願い, 夢, 祈り, or 恋.

長なが年ねんの夢ゆめがついに叶かなった。
My long-held dream finally came true.
彼かの女じょの願ねがいが叶かなって、留りゅう学がくできることになった。
Her wish was granted, and she is now able to study abroad.
神かみに祈いのったことが叶かなった。
My prayer was answered.

See all 190 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

願いが叶うがんがかなうfor a wish to come true
毎まい年とし、七夕たなばたの日ひに願ねがいが叶かなうようにお願ねがいをしている。
Every year on Tanabata, I make a wish hoping it will come true.
夢ゆめが叶かなうfor a dream to come true
彼かの女じょは歌か手しゅになる夢ゆめが叶かなった。
Her dream of becoming a singer came true.
恋こいが叶かなうfor one's love to be requited
長なが年ねんの恋こいがついに叶かなった。
Her years-long love was finally requited.
〈事こと〉が叶かなうはずがないthere's no way something could come true
そんな無む理りな願ねがいが叶かなうはずがない。
There's no way such an unreasonable wish could come true.

Expressions

叶かなうことならif possible; if it can be realized
棒ぼうほど願ねがって針はりほど叶かなうyou can't always get what you want; man plans and God laughs; things don't always turn out the way you hope

Kanji

叶grant, answer

Transitive / intransitive

叶かなえるN2
叶える is the transitive verb meaning 'to grant/make (a wish) come true', while 叶う is intransitive and describes the wish itself becoming reality.

Related words

実じつ現げんN3
実現する is a more formal, general word for 'to be realized/come about' used for plans, goals, or ideas, whereas 叶う is reserved for personal wishes, dreams, and prayers.

Opposites

破やぶれるN3
破れる describes a dream or hope being shattered or ruined, the opposite of 叶う where a wish comes true.

Don't confuse with

適かなうN1
適う shares the reading かなう with 叶う but means 'to conform to' or 'to suit' (as in 理に適う), not 'to come true'.
敵かなう
敵う also shares the reading かなう with 叶う but means 'to be a match for' someone (often used negatively as かなわない), unrelated to wishes coming true.

Written forms

叶かなうUsage67%
Standard kanji spelling for wishes, dreams, prayers, and love being fulfilled.
かなうUsage33%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.

Etymology

The kanji 叶 is composed of 口 (mouth) and 十 (ten), suggesting that many voices or wishes come together and are fulfilled. The reading かなう is a native Japanese verb.