ボケる

ぼ

け

る

ボケる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	ボケる	ボケない
Polite	ボケます	ボケません
Past polite	ボケました	ボケませんでした
Past	ボケた	ボケなかった
Te-form	ボケて	ボケないで
Desire	ボケたい	ボケたくない
Potential	ボケられるalso ボケれる	ボケられないalso ボケれない
Passive	ボケられる	ボケられない
Causative	ボケさせる	ボケさせない
Causative passive	ボケさせられる	ボケさせられない
Volitional	ボケよう
Polite volitional	ボケましょう
Imperative	ボケろ	ボケるな
Conditional	ボケれば	ボケなければ
Tara conditional	ボケたら	ボケなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

become senile; go dotty

usually written using kana alone

Refers to age-related mental decline, memory loss, or childish behavior in the elderly. Often used seriously or sympathetically.

祖そ父ふは最さい近きん少すこしボケてきたみたいだ。
My grandfather seems to have become a little senile recently.
年としを取とると誰だれでもボケる可か能のう性せいがある。
Anyone can become senile as they get older.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be out of it; be spaced out; be slow on the uptake

usually written using kana alone

Describes a temporary mental fog, confusion, or slowness, not necessarily age-related. Can be used for anyone who seems dazed or not thinking clearly.

寝ね不ぶ足そくで頭あたまがボケている。
I'm so sleep-deprived that my brain is foggy.
暑あつさでボケてしまって、何なにを言いわれたか覚おぼえていない。
I was so out of it from the heat that I don't remember what was said to me.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

play dumb; act clueless; say something silly (on purpose)

usually written using kana alone

Often used in comedy (manzai) or casual conversation when someone deliberately acts stupid or makes a silly remark for laughs. The 'straight man' (tsukkomi) role often points out the boke.

またボケてるよ。今こん度どは何なにを言いい出だすんだ？
You're playing dumb again. What are you going to come out with this time?
彼かれはわざとボケて、みんなを笑わらわせた。
He deliberately said something silly and made everyone laugh.

See all 35 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

歳としを取とって〈動どう詞し〉to become senile as one ages
祖そ母ぼは歳としを取とって呆ぼけてしまった。
My grandmother became senile as she got older.
頭あたまが呆ぼけるto feel mentally foggy or spaced out
寝ね不ぶ足そくで頭あたまが呆ぼけている。
I'm out of it because I didn't get enough sleep.
呆ぼけたことを言いうto say something silly or clueless (often for comedic effect)
彼かれはいつも呆ぼけたことを言いって笑わらわせる。
He always makes people laugh by saying something silly.

Kanji

呆be amazed, disgusted, shocked
惚fall in love with, admire, grow senile
耄senility

Related words

認にん知ち症しょうN1sense 1
認知症 is the formal medical term for dementia, while 呆ける is the everyday, colloquial verb people use to describe someone becoming senile.
老おいぼれる sense 1
老いぼれる specifically emphasizes becoming decrepit and feeble with old age, whereas 呆ける focuses more narrowly on mental decline.
空うつける
ぼける describes the mind becoming dull or fuzzy, often from age or fatigue, while 空ける (うつける) describes a more sudden or temporary blank, spaced-out state.

Opposites

しっかりN4sense 1
しっかりする means to be sharp, alert, and mentally together, the opposite of 呆ける's sense of being senile or spaced out.

Don't confuse with· 5

とぼけるN1sense 3
惚ける（とぼける）means to feign ignorance or play innocent, while 呆ける（ボケる）in its comedic sense means to say something silly or clueless, often unintentionally in tone even if scripted.
呆あきれるN2
呆ける shares the kanji 呆 with 呆れる but means to become senile or absent-minded, not to be dumbfounded or exasperated.
ぼけるN1
呆ける (also read ぼける) means to become senile or absent-minded, whereas 暈ける refers to optical or visual blurring, not mental decline.

Show 2 more

惚ほれるN1
惚ける (ぼける) shares the kanji 惚 with 惚れる but means to become senile or dazed, not to fall in love.
のろけるN1
惚ける (ぼける) shares the kanji 惚 with 惚気る but means to become senile or mentally fuzzy, an unrelated meaning.

Written forms

ボケるUsage47%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is very common and avoids kanji ambiguity; usually written in kana.
ぼけるUsage29%
Hiragana spelling is also common and natural for this usually-kana word.
呆ぼけるUsage18%
Kanji spelling; 呆 suggests a blank or dazed state. Less common than kana.
惚ぼけるUsage7%
Kanji spelling; 惚 can imply being infatuated or in a daze. Less common than kana.
耄ぼける
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form specifically associated with senility; it is rarely used.

Etymology

A katakana spelling of the native verb 呆ける／惚ける, “become mentally dull or absent-minded.” Its comedic sense developed from deliberately acting confused or making an intentionally foolish remark.