演ずる · zuru verb
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 演ずる | 演じない |
| Polite | 演じます | 演じません |
| Past polite | 演じました | 演じませんでした |
| Past | 演じた | 演じなかった |
| Te-form | 演じて | 演じないで |
| Desire | 演じたい | 演じたくない |
| Potential | 演じられるalso formal 演ぜられる | 演じられないalso formal 演ぜられない |
| Passive | 演じられるalso formal 演ぜられる | 演じられないalso formal 演ぜられない |
| Causative | 演じさせる | 演じさせない |
| Causative passive | 演じさせられる | 演じさせられない |
| Volitional | 演じよう | |
| Polite volitional | 演じましょう | |
| Imperative | 演じろalso written 演ぜよ | 演ずるな |
| Conditional | 演じればalso 演ずれば | 演じなければ |
| Tara conditional | 演じたら | 演じなかったら |
zuru verb, transitive verb
act a part; play a role
Used for acting in a play, film, or drama; also for playing a social role. Often interchangeable with 演じる, but 演ずる can sound more formal.
See also: 演じる
彼は舞台でハムレットを演ずる。
He plays Hamlet on stage.
He always plays the role of the calm one in meetings.
zuru verb, transitive verb
perform; put on a production
Refers to staging a play, concert, or show. Focuses on the act of presenting a performance.
この劇団は毎年シェイクスピアを演ずる。
This theater company performs Shakespeare every year.
zuru verb, transitive verb
commit a blunder; pretend; disgrace oneself
Used in set phrases like 失態を演ずる (commit a blunder) or 醜態を演ずる (disgrace oneself). The 'pretend' sense is less common and often appears with nouns like 父親役 (role of a father).
彼は会議で失態を演じてしまった。
He committed a blunder at the meeting.
酔って醜態を演ずるのは避けたい。
I want to avoid disgracing myself by getting drunk.
He played the role of the protagonist.
He made an embarrassing blunder at the meeting.
They staged a new production at the theater.
He got drunk and made a spectacle of himself.