Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
ほどく (hodoku) Japanese meaning: undo | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N3 › Freq. Frequency Top 10,000 Conjugation ほどく · godan verb (-ku)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary ほどく ほどかない Polite ほどきます ほどきません Past polite ほどきました ほどきませんでした Past ほどいた ほどかなかった Te-form ほどいて ほどかないで Desire ほどきたい ほどきたくない Potential ほどける ほどけない Passive ほどかれる ほどかれない Causative ほどかせる ほどかせない Causative passive ほどかせられる also ほどかされる ほどかせられない also ほどかされない Volitional ほどこう Polite volitional ほどきましょう Imperative ほどけ ほどくな Conditional ほどけば ほどかなければ Tara conditional ほどいたら ほどかなかったら
Pairs with ほどける › Report an issue with this page
She loosened her hair and tied it up again.
I unpack the luggage and check the contents.
Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 を 解ほど く to untie/undo something (a knot, string, etc.)
荷に 物もつ を 解ほど く to unpack one's luggage
As soon as I arrived at the hotel, I unpacked my luggage.
帯おび を 解ほど く to untie one's obi/sash
I untied my kimono sash and changed into something comfortable.
包つつ みを 解ほど く to unwrap a package
I'm looking forward to unwrapping the present.
Expressions 髪かみ を 解ほど く let down one's hair; undo one's hair Transitive / intransitive Related words 外す is used for unfastening or detaching something (like a button or clasp), while ほどく is specifically for undoing knots, strings, or bindings.
解く is the general verb for untying or undoing, while ほどく specifically emphasizes loosening or unraveling something tightly bound or tangled.
解く usually means to untie or undo something fastened, like a knot or bow, while ほぐす refers to loosening something tangled or stiff, such as hair or muscles.
Opposites· 8 結ぶ means to tie or fasten something, while ほどく means to undo or untie it.
解く means to untie or undo a knot, the direct opposite of 括る's sense of tying something up.
ほどく means to untie or unwind something, the opposite of 巻く's meaning of winding or coiling something up.
Show 5 more Don't confuse with 解く written とく usually means to solve a problem or dissolve tension, whereas 解く written ほどく means to physically untie or unfasten something like a knot.
解れる (ほぐれる) describes tension, muscles, or feelings loosening on their own, while ほどく is the deliberate act of untying something by hand.
Word family unpacking; unpacking after moving
unsewing; clothes to be unsewn
thanksgiving shrine/temple visit after a wish is granted
cut open (a tied bundle); release (prisoners)
Written forms ほどく Usage 100%
Kana spelling is strongly preferred to avoid confusion with 解く (とく).
解ほど く
Kanji spelling is correct but can be confused with 解く (とく, 'to solve'). It is usually written in kana.
Etymology Native Japanese verb. The kanji 解 carries the meaning of 'untie' or 'release', but the reading ほどく is a kun'yomi. The exact derivation is uncertain.
縫ぬ う
N2
解く means to undo or unpick stitching, the opposite action of 縫う, which is to sew it together.
解く means to untie or undo something that is wrapped or knotted, the opposite of 絡める's sense of wrapping or entwining something around another.
解く means to undo or unwrap something, the reverse action of 包む which is to wrap it up.
解く means to untie or undo something that has been fastened, the direct opposite of 結う, which means to tie or bind it in the first place.
ほどく means to untie or undo something, the direct opposite of 縛る's physical sense of tying tightly.
