弄ぶ · godan verb (-bu)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 弄ぶ | 弄ばない |
| Polite | 弄びます | 弄びません |
| Past polite | 弄びました | 弄びませんでした |
| Past | 弄んだ | 弄ばなかった |
| Te-form | 弄んで | 弄ばないで |
| Desire | 弄びたい | 弄びたくない |
| Potential | 弄べる | 弄べない |
| Passive | 弄ばれる | 弄ばれない |
| Causative | 弄ばせる | 弄ばせない |
| Causative passive | 弄ばせられるalso 弄ばされる | 弄ばせられないalso 弄ばされない |
| Volitional | 弄ぼう | |
| Polite volitional | 弄びましょう | |
| Imperative | 弄べ | 弄ぶな |
| Conditional | 弄べば | 弄ばなければ |
| Tara conditional | 弄んだら | 弄ばなかったら |
godan verb (-bu), transitive verb
Physical manipulation of an object for amusement or absent-mindedness, such as a toy, one's hair, or a small item.
He listened to the talk while fiddling with a pen.
猫が毛糸玉を弄んでいる。
The cat is playing with a ball of yarn.
godan verb (-bu), transitive verb
toy with; trifle with
Treating a person's feelings or affections carelessly, often with a nuance of cruelty or manipulation.
彼は彼女の気持ちを弄んだ。
He toyed with her feelings.
人の好意を弄ぶような真似はするな。
Don't trifle with people's goodwill.
godan verb (-bu), transitive verb
do as one pleases with; treat as a plaything
Using something or someone freely for one's own amusement or convenience, often implying a lack of respect.
権力者は国民を弄んではならない。
Those in power must not treat the people as playthings.
godan verb (-bu), transitive verb
Rare, somewhat literary use for savoring or taking pleasure in something, such as art or nature.
彼は骨董品を弄ぶのが趣味だ。
His hobby is appreciating antiques.
He idly fiddled with the pen in his hand while thinking.
He has toyed with the feelings of many women.
His life seems to have been toyed with by fate.
The politician behaved as if he were toying with his power.
からかう means to tease someone playfully and is lighter in tone than 弄ぶ, which implies genuinely careless or cruel manipulation of feelings.
鑑賞する is the standard verb for appreciating art or nature, while 弄ぶ in this sense is a rare, old-fashioned way of expressing the same idea.
Irregular kanji usage; もて is usually written in kana.
Rarely used kanji form.