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弄る (いじる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

弄いじる

い

じ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

finger; fiddle with; play with

usually written using kana alone

Touching or handling something idly, often with fingers, without a serious purpose. Can be physical or metaphorical.

彼かれは話はなしながら、ペンをいじっていた。
He was fiddling with a pen while talking.

スマホの設せっ定ていをいじるのが好すきだ。

I like playing around with my smartphone settings.

2

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

tinker with; tamper with; make changes to

usually written using kana alone

Making adjustments or modifications, often implying unauthorized or casual changes. Can be used for mechanical, electronic, or abstract things.

誰だれかが私わたしのパソコンをいじったみたいだ。
It looks like someone tampered with my computer.
彼かれは古ふるいバイクをいじって直なおした。
He tinkered with the old motorcycle and fixed it.

3

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

dabble in; do as a hobby; play around with

usually written using kana alone

Engaging in an activity casually or as a hobby, without deep commitment. Often used with creative or technical pursuits.

週しゅう末まつに絵えをいじるのが趣しゅ味みです。
My hobby is dabbling in painting on weekends.
彼かれはプログラミングをいじって遊あそんでいる。
He plays around with programming for fun.

4

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

tease; make fun of

usually written using kana alonecolloquial

Colloquial use; playfully teasing or making fun of someone, often in a light-hearted manner. Sometimes written as イジる.

先せん輩ぱいはいつも後こう輩はいをいじって笑わらわせる。
The senior always teases the junior and makes everyone laugh.
彼かの女じょは彼かれの失しっ敗ぱいをいじって楽たのしんだ。
She enjoyed teasing him about his mistake.

Written forms

弄いじるUsage11%
Kanji form; high priority. Usually written in kana, but this kanji is recognized.
いじるUsage88%
Kana spelling is the usual written form for all senses.
イジるUsage1%
search-only kana form
Search-only katakana form; sometimes used in casual writing for the teasing sense.

Kanji

弄play with, tamper, trifle with

Similar words

触さわる
触る means to touch or feel something, often with a focus on physical contact, while いじる implies fiddling, manipulating, or playing with something, often with fingers.
弄もてあそぶ
弄ぶ is more literary and often has a negative nuance of toying with someone's feelings or playing with something in a cruel way, whereas いじる is more casual and neutral.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. The kanji 弄 is associated with playing or fiddling, and the reading いじる may be derived from mimetic or native roots, but the exact derivation is unclear.