くわえる

く

わ

え

る

JLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

くわえる · ichidan verb

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

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

hold in one's mouth

usually written using kana alone

Describes holding something lightly between the teeth or lips, such as a cigarette, pipe, or small object.

彼かれはパイプをくわえて新しん聞ぶんを読よんでいた。
He was reading the newspaper with his pipe in his mouth.
犬いぬがボールをくわえて走はしってきた。
The dog came running with a ball in its mouth.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

bring along; take with one

usually written using kana alone

Used when someone brings another person along, often implying a casual or informal invitation. Common in phrases like 友達をくわえて来る.

彼かれはいつも弟おとうとをくわえて遊あそびに来くる。
He always brings his younger brother along when he comes to play.
友とも達だちをくわえてパーティーに行いった。
I went to the party with a friend in tow.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を口くちに咥くわえるto hold something in one's mouth
犬いぬが新しん聞ぶんを口くちに咥くわえて持もってきた。
The dog brought the newspaper, holding it in its mouth.
〈人ひと〉を咥くわえて来くるto bring someone along casually
弟おとうとを咥くわえて公こう園えんへ行いった。
I brought my little brother along to the park.
タバコを咥くわえるto have an unlit cigarette in one's mouth
彼かれはタバコを咥くわえたまま話はなしていた。
He was talking with a cigarette in his mouth.

Kanji

咥laugh, chew, eat
銜horse's bit
啣hold in mouth or between teeth

Related words

含ふくむN3sense 1
含む means to hold something (often liquid) inside the mouth without it showing, while 咥える means to grip an object like a cigarette between the teeth or lips with part of it sticking out.

Don't confuse with

加くわえるN3
加える is a homophone written with different kanji meaning 'to add' or 'to include', unlike 咥える which means to hold something between the teeth or lips.
しゃぶるN2
咥える means to hold something in the mouth (often between the teeth or lips) without sucking, while しゃぶる specifically involves sucking or licking it with the tongue.

Written forms

くわえるUsage85%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 咥える, 銜える, and 啣える are rare.
咥くわえるUsage10%
Rare kanji form.
銜くわえるUsage4%
Rare kanji form; high priority.
啣くわえる
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

The historical derivation is uncertain; the word is conventionally associated with the meaning of holding in the mouth, and the 'bring along' sense may be a figurative extension.