めくる

め

く

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

めくる · godan verb (-ru)

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

Pairs withめくれる

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

turn over; turn pages; leaf through

usually written using kana alone

Used for flipping or turning pages, cards, or thin flat objects; also for browsing through a book or stack of papers.

本ほんのページをめくる。
I turn the pages of a book.
トランプを一いち枚まいめくってください。
Please turn over one card.

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

tear off; strip off; pull off

usually written using kana alone

Used for forcefully removing something that is attached or covering a surface, such as peeling off a sticker, tearing up floorboards, or pulling off a blanket. Often implies a rough or quick action.

布ふ団とんをめくって起おき上あがった。
I threw off the futon and got up.
床ゆか板いたをめくって修しゅう理りする。
We pull up the floorboards to make repairs.

See all 55 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉のページをめくるto turn the pages of a book, magazine, etc.
彼かの女じょは雑ざっ誌しのページをゆっくりめくった。
She slowly turned the pages of the magazine.
布ふ団とんをめくるto pull back the covers or a blanket
母ははは子こ供どもの布ふ団とんをめくって起おこした。
My mother pulled back the covers to wake her child.
カードをめくるto turn over a card, as in a card game
次つぎのカードをめくって運うんを試ためした。
I turned over the next card to test my luck.
〈物もの〉をぱらぱらとめくるto flip quickly through pages
暇ひまな時とき、雑ざっ誌しをぱらぱらとめくって過すごす。
When I have free time, I spend it flipping quickly through a magazine.

Expressions

スカートめくりlifting a girl's skirt; flipping up a skirt

Kanji

捲roll, wind, coil

Transitive / intransitive

めくれる
捲る (めくる) is the transitive verb meaning to flip or turn over something like a page, while めくれる describes it flipping over by itself.

Related words

はがすN2sense 2
はがす means to carefully peel off something that is stuck on, like tape or a sticker, while 捲る (めくる) in its tearing sense implies a rougher, quicker pulling or flipping action.
剥はぐN1sense 2
剥ぐ means to forcefully strip or peel off a covering such as skin or bark, whereas 捲る (めくる) is used more broadly for flipping or tearing off flat things like blankets or paper.
繰くる
めくる is the common, casual verb for flipping a page or turning something over, while 繰る sounds more literary and also covers consulting a dictionary or reference book.
返かえすN5
めくる specifically means to flip or turn a page or card by lifting it, while 返す is a broader verb that can also mean to flip something over completely.

Don't confuse with

めくれる
捲る (めくる) is the transitive verb meaning to turn over or tear off something, while 捲れる (めくれる) is its intransitive partner, meaning something turns up or comes loose on its own.
まくるN1
めくる means to flip or turn over something flat like a page, while 捲る means to roll or push something upward such as a sleeve or hem.

Word family

めくり
program board; act-announcement sheets · mekuri karuta
めくりカルタ
mekuri karuta; traditional Japanese card game · hanafuda

Written forms

めくるUsage96%
Kana spelling is standard; the kanji 捲る is rare and may be confused with other readings.
捲めくるUsage4%
Kanji form is uncommon and can be misread; use kana in most contexts.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; it may be related to the mimetic root めく (as in めくめく, describing something turning or flipping). The kanji 捲 is used for its meaning of 'roll up' or 'turn over', but the word is native Japanese.