捕とる

と

る

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

捕る · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	捕とる	捕とらない
Polite	捕とります	捕とりません
Past polite	捕とりました	捕とりませんでした
Past	捕とった	捕とらなかった
Te-form	捕とって	捕とらないで
Desire	捕とりたい	捕とりたくない
Potential	捕とれる	捕とれない
Passive	捕とられる	捕とられない
Causative	捕とらせる	捕とらせない
Causative passive	捕とらせられるalso 捕とらされる	捕とらせられないalso 捕とらされない
Volitional	捕とろう
Polite volitional	捕とりましょう
Imperative	捕とれ	捕とるな
Conditional	捕とれば	捕とらなければ
Tara conditional	捕とったら	捕とらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

catch; capture

Used for catching wild animals, fish, insects, and in baseball for catching a ball. Implies actively seizing or trapping.

川かわで魚さかなを捕とるのが趣しゅ味みです。
My hobby is catching fish in the river.
外がい野や手しゅがフライを捕とった。
The outfielder caught the fly ball.

See all 88 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

ボールを捕とるto catch a ball (esp. in baseball)
外がい野や手しゅが飛ひ球きゅうをうまく捕とった。
The outfielder made a nice catch on the fly ball.
虫むしを捕とるto catch insects
子こ供どもたちが公こう園えんで虫むしを捕とっている。
The children are catching insects in the park.
ネズミを捕とるto catch mice (e.g. of a cat)
うちの猫ねこはネズミを捕とるのが得とく意いだ。
Our cat is good at catching mice.

Expressions

魚さかな捕とりfishing; catching fish

Kanji

捕catch, capture

Related words

捕つかまえるN4
捕まえる emphasizes physically grabbing and holding something (often a person or animal), while 捕る is more neutral and covers catching fish, insects, or a ball as well.
狩かる
捕る means to catch or capture, often with hands or tools, while 狩る implies a more active, deliberate pursuit of wild game.
受うけ止とめるN1
捕る is a general word for catching or capturing something, while 受け止める specifically means to stop or receive something coming with force toward you.

Opposites

逃にがすN3
逃がす means to let something go free, the opposite of 捕る, which means to catch and hold onto it.

Don't confuse with

取とるN5
取る and 捕る share the same reading とる, but 取る is the general verb for taking or picking up anything, while 捕る is reserved for catching living things like animals, fish, or a ball.
獲とる
捕る is used for catching or seizing a living creature (like a ball or an animal), while 獲る adds the nuance of obtaining it through hunting or competitive effort.

Word family· 11

生いけ捕どり
capturing alive; live capture
捕とり物もの
capture; arrest
分ぶん捕どり
snatching; plunder; loot
子こ捕とり
catch-the-child; tag-like children's game
手て捕どり
catching with one's hands; seizure

Show 6 more

捕とり手て
policeman; official who captures offenders · art of bare-handed capture
捕とり縄なわ
policeman's rope; arresting rope
鳥とり取とり
bird catcher; bird handler · bird catching; bird handling
召めし捕とる
arrest; apprehend · summon; call
生いけ捕どる
capture alive; take prisoner
ネズミ捕とり
mousetrap; rattrap · rat poison · speed trap · Japanese rat snake

Written forms

捕とる
Standard kanji for catching or capturing animals, fish, insects, and in baseball.
とるUsage100%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the intended kanji is broad or not important.

Etymology

The kanji 捕 is composed of 扌 (hand) and 甫 (phonetic, also suggesting spreading), conveying the idea of seizing with the hand. The reading とる is native Japanese.