わきまえる

わ

き

ま

え

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

わきまえる · ichidan verb

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

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

discern; distinguish; tell apart

usually written using kana alone

Used for recognizing a difference, especially between right and wrong, good and bad, or what is appropriate. Often appears in contexts of moral judgment or social awareness.

彼かれは善ぜん悪あくをわきまえることができる。
He can discern right from wrong.
状じょう況きょうをわきまえた発はつ言げんをしてください。
Please make a remark that takes the situation into account.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

know one's place; understand proper behavior; bear in mind

usually written using kana alone

Refers to knowing and observing social norms, manners, or one's own position. Often used in the negative to criticize someone who acts out of line.

彼かれは自じ分ぶんの立たち場ばをわきまえていない。
He doesn't know his place.
礼れい儀ぎをわきまえた人ひとだ。
He is a person who knows proper manners.

See all 64 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

分ぶんを弁わきまえるto know one's place/status
彼かれは自じ分ぶんの分ぶんを弁わきまえて行こう動どうしている。
He acts while being mindful of his own place.
立たち場ばを弁わきまえるto be mindful of one's position
部ぶ下かは上じょう司しとの立たち場ばを弁わきまえて話はなすべきだ。
Subordinates should speak while being mindful of their position relative to their boss.
時ときと場ば所しょを弁わきまえるto be aware of the appropriate time and place
冗じょう談だんを言いうにも時ときと場ば所しょを弁わきまえるべきだ。
Even when joking, you should be mindful of the time and place.
礼れい儀ぎを弁わきまえるto know proper etiquette
彼かの女じょは礼れい儀ぎを弁わきまえた立りっ派ぱな人ひとだ。
She is a fine person who knows proper etiquette.
善ぜん悪あくを弁わきまえるto discern right from wrong
子こ供どもにも善ぜん悪あくを弁わきまえる力ちからを教おしえるべきだ。
Children should also be taught the ability to discern right from wrong.

Expressions

場ば所しょ柄がら弁わきまえずnot in keeping with the occasion; inappropriate for the setting

Kanji

弁valve, petal, braid
辨discrimination, dispose of, distinguish

Related words

心こころ得えるN2sense 2
心得る means to have learned and internalized rules or manners beforehand, while 弁える stresses actually applying that judgment appropriately in the moment.
見み分わけるN2sense 1
見分ける is used for visually telling things or people apart, while 弁える is used for discerning abstract distinctions like right and wrong.

Don't confuse with

弁べんじる
弁じる shares the kanji 弁 and a similar sound with 弁える but means to speak or argue a point, not to discern or know one's place.

Word family

わきまえ
discernment; discretion · knowledge; understanding; sense

Written forms

わきまえるUsage84%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 弁える is also common and acceptable.
弁わきまえるUsage16%
Common kanji spelling; the kana form is more frequent in modern usage.
辨わきまえる
out-dated kanji form
Outdated kanji form; not used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

Derived from the verb わきまう (wakimau) in classical Japanese, meaning to distinguish or separate. The kanji 弁 is used for its meaning of 'discernment' or 'speech', but the word itself is of native Japanese origin.