そそる

そ

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

そそる · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	そそる	そそらない
Polite	そそります	そそりません
Past polite	そそりました	そそりませんでした
Past	そそった	そそらなかった
Te-form	そそって	そそらないで
Desire	そそりたい	そそりたくない
Potential	そそれる	そそれない
Passive	そそられる	そそられない
Causative	そそらせる	そそらせない
Causative passive	そそらせられるalso そそらされる	そそらせられないalso そそらされない
Volitional	そそろう
Polite volitional	そそりましょう
Imperative	そそれ	そそるな
Conditional	そそれば	そそらなければ
Tara conditional	そそったら	そそらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

excite; incite; stimulate; arouse; tempt; stir up

usually written using kana alone

Used when something provokes a feeling, desire, or action, often in a positive or tempting way. Common with nouns like 食欲 (appetite), 興味 (interest), 好奇心 (curiosity), 涙 (tears), or 笑い (laughter).

その香かおりが食しょく欲よくをそそる。
That smell stimulates my appetite.
彼かれの話はなしは好こう奇き心しんをそそった。
His story aroused my curiosity.
あの映えい画がの予よ告こく編へんは見みる気きをそそる。
The trailer for that movie tempts me to watch it.

See all 71 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

食しょく欲よくをそそるto stimulate one's appetite
焼やき肉にくの匂においが食しょく欲よくをそそる。
The smell of grilled meat is making me hungry.
興きょう味みをそそるto arouse someone's interest
そのニュースは多おおくの人ひとの興きょう味みをそそった。
That news piqued a lot of people's interest.
好こう奇き心しんをそそるto pique someone's curiosity
この博はく物ぶつ館かんの展てん示じは子こ供どもたちの好こう奇き心しんをそそる。
This museum's exhibit sparks children's curiosity.
涙なみだをそそるto bring someone to tears
その映えい画がは多おおくの観かん客きゃくの涙なみだをそそった。
That movie brought many viewers to tears.
笑わらいをそそるto provoke laughter
彼かれのコメントは会かい場じょうの笑わらいをそそった。
His comment got the whole venue laughing.

Kanji

唆tempt, seduce, instigate

Related words

刺し激げきN3
刺激する is a more formal, general word for 'to stimulate', while そそる is colloquial and often implies a tempting or enticing quality.
誘さそうN4
誘う means 'to invite' or 'to tempt' someone toward an action, while そそる focuses on arousing an internal feeling or desire without necessarily inviting action.
掻かき立たてる
掻き立てる is a more literary way to say 'stir up' feelings, whereas そそる is the everyday, casual equivalent.
煽あおるN1
煽る means 'to incite' or 'fan the flames of' a feeling, often with a negative or agitating nuance, while そそる is more neutral or positive, like tempting an appetite.
惹ひく
惹く is used for attracting attention, sympathy or interest in general, while そそる is a casual verb specifically paired with things like 興味 or 食欲 to mean 'to arouse'.

Don't confuse with

そそのかすN1
唆す shares the kanji 唆 and a similar sound with そそる but means 'to instigate someone into doing something (often bad)', unlike そそる's sense of arousing a feeling or desire.

Written forms

そそるUsage97%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 唆る is rare.
唆そそるUsage3%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; learners should prefer the kana spelling.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the mimetic word そそそ, suggesting a light, stimulating sensation, but the exact derivation is unclear.