まく

ま

く

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

まく · godan verb (-ku)

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Used for scattering seeds onto soil or planting crops. The kana spelling まく is most common.

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

sow the seeds of; instigate

usually written using kana alone

Figurative use, often in the phrase 種をまく, meaning to cause future trouble or conflict.

〈場ば所しょ〉に種たねをまくto sow seeds in a place (field, garden, etc.)
春はるになったら畑はたけに種たねをまく予よ定ていだ。
I plan to sow seeds in the field once spring comes.
〈事こと〉の種たねをまくto sow the seeds of (trouble, conflict, etc.)
その発はつ言げんが後のちの争あらそいの種たねをまいた。
That remark sowed the seeds of the later conflict.
〈物もの〉の粉こなをまくto sprinkle powder (of gold, silver, etc.) onto wet lacquer
漆うるしの上うえに金きんの粉こなをまいて模も様ようを作つくる。
You sprinkle gold powder over the lacquer to create a pattern.

植うえるN4sense 1
植える means to plant a seedling, bulb, or tree in soil, while 蒔く refers to scattering loose seeds over soil.

まくN2sense 1
撒く means to scatter loose material like water, salt, or sand, whereas 蒔く specifically means to sow plant seeds.
巻まくN3sense 1
巻く shares the same reading as 蒔く but means to roll or wind something, an entirely unrelated meaning.

まくUsage34%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 蒔く and 播く are less common in modern writing.
蒔まくUsage54%
Kanji form; can be used for sowing seeds or sprinkling powder, but kana is preferred.
播まくUsage12%
Rare kanji variant for sowing; mainly seen in older or technical texts.

Native Japanese verb. The kanji 蒔 and 播 both carry the meaning of sowing or scattering, but the word is now usually written in kana.