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捕らえる (とらえる, toraeru) Japanese meaning: catch | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Conjugation 捕らえる · ichidan verb
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 捕と らえる 捕と らえない Polite 捕と らえます 捕と らえません Past polite 捕と らえました 捕と らえませんでした Past 捕と らえた 捕と らえなかった Te-form 捕と らえて 捕と らえないで Desire 捕と らえたい 捕と らえたくない Potential 捕と らえられる also 捕と らえれる 捕と らえられない also 捕と らえれない Passive 捕と らえられる 捕と らえられない Causative 捕と らえさせる 捕と らえさせない Causative passive 捕と らえさせられる 捕と らえさせられない Volitional 捕と らえよう Polite volitional 捕と らえましょう Imperative 捕と らえろ 捕と らえるな Conditional 捕と らえれば 捕と らえなければ Tara conditional 捕と らえたら 捕と らえなかったら
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けい
察さつ
は
犯はん
人にん
を
捕と
らえ
た
。
The police caught the criminal.
I saw the cat catch a mouse.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 を 捕と らえる to catch/apprehend a person
The police finally caught the fleeing suspect.
機き 会かい を 捉とら える to seize an opportunity
He accurately seized the business opportunity.
本ほん 質しつ を 捉とら える to grasp the essence (of something)
This article sharply captures the essence of the problem.
特とく 徴ちょう を 捉とら える to capture the characteristic features (of something)
This photo captures the distinctive features of her expression well.
Expressions 意い 味み を 捉とら える grasp the meaning; understand the meaning 言こと 葉ば 尻じり を 捉とら える pounce on someone's words; trip someone up with their own words; cavil at someone's words Related words· 8 捕まえる is the colloquial, hands-on word for physically catching someone or something, while 捉える (捕らえる) sounds more formal and can also describe abstract capture.
捕獲する is a formal, often biological or legal term for capturing an animal or vessel, whereas 捉える (捕らえる) is broader and can apply to people too.
把握する means to firmly grasp or get a handle on facts or a situation, while 捉える focuses more on perceiving or interpreting an essence or feature.
理解する is a general, neutral word for understanding, while 捉える carries a nuance of actively interpreting or pinning down a specific aspect.
Show 4 more 魅了する directly means to captivate or fascinate someone, while 捉える (as in 心を捉える) implies the same idea more indirectly through the image of 'seizing' the heart.
捕らえる means to seize or capture a living thing, often with force, while 獲る emphasizes obtaining prey or a prize through skill or effort.
捉える focuses on grasping or perceiving the meaning of something, whereas 受け止める emphasizes emotionally receiving and coping with it.
Opposites 逃がす means to let something escape or set it free, the direct opposite of 捉える in the sense of catching or capturing.
捕らえる means to catch or capture, the direct opposite of 放つ's sense of setting something free.
捕らえる means to catch or capture, the opposite of 逃す's sense of letting a captive escape.
Written forms 捕と らえる Usage 9%
Preferred for physical capture, arrest, or seizing. High priority.
とらえる Usage 54%
捉とら える Usage 31%
Common for abstract senses such as grasping meaning or capturing features. Also used for physical capture, but 捕らえる is more specific for that.
捕とら える Usage 6%
Variant of 捕らえる, less common but still used.
Etymology The modern form continues classical 捕らふ “catch, seize, grasp.” The spellings 捕らえる and 捉える distinguish physical capture from figurative apprehension in some contexts.
取と り 押お さえる
N2
捕らえる is a slightly literary word meaning to catch or seize, while 取り押さえる specifically stresses forcibly restraining a struggling person.