わめく

わ

め

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

わめく · godan verb (-ku)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	わめく	わめかない
Polite	わめきます	わめきません
Past polite	わめきました	わめきませんでした
Past	わめいた	わめかなかった
Te-form	わめいて	わめかないで
Desire	わめきたい	わめきたくない
Potential	わめける	わめけない
Passive	わめかれる	わめかれない
Causative	わめかせる	わめかせない
Causative passive	わめかせられるalso わめかされる	わめかせられないalso わめかされない
Volitional	わめこう
Polite volitional	わめきましょう
Imperative	わめけ	わめくな
Conditional	わめけば	わめかなければ
Tara conditional	わめいたら	わめかなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

shout; yell; scream; clamor

usually written using kana alone

Describes loud, often emotional vocal outbursts, such as shouting in anger, crying out, or making a noisy fuss. Can be used for both individuals and groups.

彼かれは怒おこってわめき始はじめた。
He got angry and started shouting.
子こ供どもたちが公こう園えんでわめいている。
The children are yelling in the park.

See all 7 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

大おお声ごえでわめくto shout/yell loudly
子こ供どもが大おお声ごえでわめいて泣ないた。
The child screamed and cried loudly.
〈人ひと〉が〈事こと〉とわめくfor someone to yell out (something)
男おとこは「助たすけてくれ」とわめいた。
The man yelled out, "Help me!"
わめき散ちらすto shout wildly/rant on and on
彼かれは怒いかってあたり構かまわずわめき散ちらした。
He got angry and ranted loudly, not caring who heard.

Kanji

喚yell, cry, call
叫shout, exclaim, yell

Related words

叫さけぶN3
叫ぶ is a general word for shouting or screaming with a clear purpose or message, while 喚く emphasizes noisy, clamorous, emotionally charged outbursts.
怒ど鳴なるN2
怒鳴る means to shout angrily at someone in a scolding way, while 喚く can be angry but also covers crying out or making a racket without a direct target.
騒さわぐN4
騒ぐ describes making noise or a fuss in general (including physical commotion), while 喚く focuses specifically on loud vocal outbursts.
騒さわぎ立たてるN1
わめく focuses on shouting or screaming loudly, while 騒ぎ立てる centers on stirring up a fuss or uproar, not just loud vocalizing.

Opposites

黙だまるN3
黙る means to fall silent or say nothing, the direct opposite of 喚く's loud, noisy outburst.

Don't confuse with

うめく
呻く means to moan or groan quietly in pain, whereas 喚く means to shout or yell loudly; the two are easily confused because of their similar sound and kanji shape.

Word family

泣なき喚わめく
wail; bawl; cry loudly
喚わめき立たてる
yell; bawl out; shout loudly

Written forms

わめくUsage73%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 喚く is also common, but 叫く is rare.
喚わめくUsage26%
Common kanji spelling; used in formal or literary contexts.
叫わめくUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should prefer わめく or 喚く.

Etymology

A native Japanese verb of uncertain origin, conventionally written 喚く after the character’s meaning “cry out.”