操あやつる

あ

や

つ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

操る · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	操あやつる	操あやつらない
Polite	操あやつります	操あやつりません
Past polite	操あやつりました	操あやつりませんでした
Past	操あやつった	操あやつらなかった
Te-form	操あやつって	操あやつらないで
Desire	操あやつりたい	操あやつりたくない
Potential	操あやつれる	操あやつれない
Passive	操あやつられる	操あやつられない
Causative	操あやつらせる	操あやつらせない
Causative passive	操あやつらせられるalso 操あやつらされる	操あやつらせられないalso 操あやつらされない
Volitional	操あやつろう
Polite volitional	操あやつりましょう
Imperative	操あやつれ	操あやつるな
Conditional	操あやつれば	操あやつらなければ
Tara conditional	操あやつったら	操あやつらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

operate; handle; control

Used for operating machines, vehicles, or equipment with skill. Implies active, hands-on control.

彼かれは重じゅう機きを巧たくみに操あやつる。
He skillfully operates heavy machinery.
船せん長ちょうが船ふねを港みなとまで操あやつった。
The captain steered the ship into the harbor.

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

have a good command of; play proficiently

Used for languages and musical instruments, emphasizing fluent, skilled use.

彼かの女じょは三さんか国こく語ごを自じ由ゆうに操あやつる。
She has a good command of three languages.
彼かれはピアノを自じ在ざいに操あやつる。
He plays the piano proficiently.

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

work a puppet; pull the strings of a puppet

Specifically for manipulating puppets or marionettes. Also used metaphorically for controlling people or situations from behind the scenes (see sense 4).

人にん形ぎょう遣つかいが三さん体たいの人にん形ぎょうを同どう時じに操あやつる。
The puppeteer manipulates three puppets at once.

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

manipulate; pull the strings; control from the shadows

Metaphorical extension of puppet manipulation: controlling people, public opinion, or events secretly or skillfully, often with a negative connotation.

彼かれは裏うらで組そ織しきを操あやつっていると言いわれている。
He is said to be manipulating the organization from behind the scenes.
メディアを操あやつって世よ論ろんを誘ゆう導どうする。
They manipulate the media to steer public opinion.

See all 77 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を操あやつるto skillfully operate/control a machine or device
彼かれはドローンを自じ在ざいに操あやつる。
He operates the drone with total ease.
〈言げん語ご〉を操あやつるto have a fluent command of a language
彼かの女じょは三さんか国こく語ごを操あやつる。
She has fluent command of three languages.
人にん形ぎょうを操あやつるto work/manipulate a puppet
職しょく人にんが人にん形ぎょうを操あやつって芝しば居いを演えんじた。
The craftsman manipulated the puppet to perform the play.
〈人ひと〉を操あやつるto manipulate someone, pulling their strings
彼かれは陰かげで人ひと々びとを操あやつっていた。
He was secretly manipulating people from the shadows.
裏うらで操あやつるto control something from behind the scenes
黒くろ幕まくが裏うらで全すべてを操あやつっていた。
The mastermind was controlling everything from behind the scenes.

Kanji

操maneuver, manipulate, operate

Related words· 7

操そう作さN3sense 1
操作する is a neutral, technical word for operating machines or systems, while 操る adds a nuance of skillful or artful control.
使つかいこなすN1sense 2
使いこなす stresses mastering the full use of a tool or language, close to 操る's sense of fluent command but without any manipulative overtone.
支し配はいN3sense 4
支配する means to dominate or rule openly, while 操る implies subtler, often hidden manipulation of people or events.
扱あつかうN3sense 1
扱う means to handle or deal with something in general, whereas 操る specifically implies skilled, hands-on manipulation.

Show 3 more

操そう縦じゅうN1
操る is a plain verb meaning to manipulate or pull the strings of someone, close to the figurative sense of 操縦 but more colloquial.
翻ほん弄ろう
操る focuses on skillfully manipulating someone like a puppet, while 翻弄 stresses the capricious, disorienting effect this has on the person or thing being tossed about.
使つかうN5
操る stresses skillful manipulation or control, as of a puppet or vehicle, while 使う is the plain word for using someone or something.

Don't confuse with

操そう縦じゅうN1sense 1
操縦する is used specifically for piloting or steering vehicles like planes, while 操る is broader and can apply to tools, languages, puppets, or people.
操みさお
操る shares the kanji 操 but is read あやつる and means 'to manipulate or control,' unrelated to the fidelity sense of 操（みさお）.

Word family

操あやつり
manipulation; puppet
糸いと操あやつり
marionette manipulation; puppet control with strings
操あやつり人にん形ぎょう
puppet; marionette
操あやつり芝しば居い
puppet show; puppet play
操あやつり人にん形ぎょう師し
puppeteer
操あやつり浄じょう瑠る璃り
Japanese puppet theatre; ningyō jōruri

Written forms

操あやつるUsage77%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
あやつるUsage23%
Kana spelling is acceptable in informal writing, but the kanji form is strongly preferred.

Etymology

The kanji 操 means 'maneuver' or 'manipulate'. The reading あやつる is of native Japanese origin; its exact derivation is uncertain, but it may be related to あや (pattern, design) and つる (to pull), suggesting the idea of pulling strings in a patterned way.