弱よわる

よ

わ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

弱る · godan verb (-ru)

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

Physical or functional weakening: strength, health, intensity, or ability declines. Often used for people, animals, or natural phenomena.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

Emotional weakening: feeling discouraged, dispirited, or depressed. Often used when someone is mentally worn down by a situation.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

Mental weakening: being bothered, annoyed, or not knowing what to do. Often implies a reaction to a difficult or unexpected situation.

体からだが弱よわるfor one's body/health to grow weak
病びょう気きで体からだが弱よわってしまった。
I became weak in body from the illness.
足あし腰こしが弱よわるfor one's legs and back to grow weak (esp. with age)
年としを取とって足あし腰こしが弱よわってきた。
As I've gotten older, my legs and back have grown weak.
〈事こと〉に弱よわるto be worn down or troubled by something
毎まい日にちの残ざん業ぎょうに弱よわっている。
I'm being worn down by the daily overtime.
弱よわったなあexclamation used when at a loss or troubled ('oh dear', 'this is tricky')
弱よわったなあ、電でん車しゃに遅おくれそうだ。
Oh no, I'm going to miss the train.

困こまるN5sense 3
困る is the everyday word for being troubled or not knowing what to do, while 弱る in this sense adds a nuance of being mentally worn down by the situation.
衰おとろえるN2sense 1
衰える specifically describes a gradual decline in strength, vigor, or function, while 弱る can describe sudden or gradual weakening and also extends to feeling troubled or dejected.
参まいるN4sense 2
参る is a casual, colloquial way to say one is worn down or exasperated by something, while 弱る is more neutral and covers physical, emotional, and situational weakening.

強つよまるN2sense 1
強まる means to intensify or grow stronger, the direct opposite of 弱る's sense of growing weak or losing strength.

弱よわまるN2
弱まる is used for an impersonal force or intensity (wind, sound, light) growing weaker, while 弱る is used for a living thing's health, strength, or spirits weakening, or for feeling troubled.
弱よわめるN2
弱る is an intransitive verb meaning to become weak or feeble (e.g. from illness), while 弱める is transitive and means to make something else weaker.

大おお弱よわり
extremely troubled; very puzzled; at a complete loss
弱よわり目め
time of weakness; moment of vulnerability
弱よわり切きる
be completely weakened; be utterly exhausted; be worn out · be completely at a loss; be at one's wits' end; be greatly annoyed; be fed up
弱よわり込こむ
be severely troubled; be completely at a loss
弱よわり果はてる
be completely weakened; be utterly exhausted; be worn out · be completely at a loss; be at one's wits' end; be greatly annoyed
弱よわり衰おとろえる
languish; grow weak and feeble

弱よわるUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling.
よわるUsage3%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing and when the kanji is not needed.

Derived from the adjective 弱い (よわい, 'weak') with the verb-forming suffix る, indicating a change of state. The kanji 弱 means 'weak'.