Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

そびえる Japanese meaning | Kotomora

そびえる

そ

び

え

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

tower; rise high; soar

usually written using kana alone

Describes something tall and imposing, such as a mountain, building, or tree, standing out prominently against the surroundings.

富ふ士じ山さんが青あお空ぞらにそびえている。
Mt. Fuji towers against the blue sky.

都と心しんには高こう層そうビルがそびえている。

Skyscrapers rise high in the city center.

Written forms

そびえるUsage77%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 聳える is rare and may not be recognized by all readers.
聳そびえるUsage23%
Kanji form is uncommon; learners should prefer the kana spelling.

Kanji

聳rise, tower

Similar words

そそり立たつ
Also means 'to tower' or 'to rise steeply,' but often implies a more rugged, precipitous, or threatening appearance, like a sheer cliff.
高たかくそびえる
A common collocation emphasizing great height; そびえる itself already implies height, but this phrase reinforces it.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain; it may be related to the old verb そばゆ (to stand out, to be prominent). The kanji 聳 is a phono-semantic compound used specifically for this word.