しおれる

し

お

れ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

wilt; wither; droop; fade

usually written using kana alone

Intransitive verb for plants, flowers, leaves, and similar things losing freshness, moisture, color, or uprightness.

花か瓶びんの花はながしおれてきた。
The flowers in the vase have started to wilt.

暑あつさで葉はがしおれている。

The leaves are drooping from the heat.

2

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be dejected; be disheartened; be crestfallen

usually written using kana alone

Figurative intransitive use for a person losing spirit or visibly becoming downhearted.

試し合あいに負まけて、彼かれはすっかりしおれていた。
After losing the match, he was completely crestfallen.
先せん生せいに注ちゅう意いされて、子こどもたちはしおれてしまった。
After being warned by the teacher, the children became dejected.

Written forms

しおれるUsage71%
Both senses are usually written in kana; this is the safest everyday spelling.
萎しおれるUsage27%
Standard kanji spelling, especially understandable for wilting or losing vitality, but kana is often preferred in ordinary writing.
凋しおれるUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; mainly useful for looking up rare or nonstandard spellings related to withering.
悄しおれるUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; mainly useful for looking up rare or nonstandard spellings related to being dejected.

Kanji

萎wither, droop, lame
凋wither, droop, lame
悄anxiety

Similar words

枯かれる
Often means to dry up, die, or lose life completely; しおれる can describe an earlier or softer state of wilting or drooping.
うなだれる
Focuses on the physical posture of hanging one's head, often from shame or sadness; しおれる describes the loss of spirit more generally.
落おち込こむ
A common general verb for feeling depressed or down; しおれる is more image-based, like a plant wilting.

Etymology

The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 萎 is conventionally associated with wilting or losing vitality, but the word is commonly written in kana.