触さわる

さ

わ

る

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

触る · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	触さわる	触さわらない
Polite	触さわります	触さわりません
Past polite	触さわりました	触さわりませんでした
Past	触さわった	触さわらなかった
Te-form	触さわって	触さわらないで
Desire	触さわりたい	触さわりたくない
Potential	触さわれる	触さわれない
Passive	触さわられる	触さわられない
Causative	触さわらせる	触さわらせない
Causative passive	触さわらせられるalso 触さわらされる	触さわらせられないalso 触さわらされない
Volitional	触さわろう
Polite volitional	触さわりましょう
Imperative	触さわれ	触さわるな
Conditional	触さわれば	触さわらなければ
Tara conditional	触さわったら	触さわらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb, transitive verb

touch; feel; handle

Physical contact with something, often with the hands. Can be used for intentional or accidental touching. The object is marked with に.

展てん示じ品ひんに触さわらないでください。
Please do not touch the exhibits.
濡ぬれた手てでコンセントに触さわると危あぶない。
It's dangerous to touch an outlet with wet hands.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

get involved with; approach; meddle in

Figurative use: getting involved with a person, matter, or situation, often with a negative or cautionary nuance. Commonly used in warnings or advice.

あの事じ件けんには触さわらないほうがいい。
You'd better not get involved in that incident.
彼かれは危あぶない連れん中ちゅうに触さわってしまった。
He got mixed up with some dangerous people.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

harm; hinder; irritate

Used when something negatively affects a part of the body or health, such as 体に触る (harmful to the body) or 気に触る (get on one's nerves). Often interchangeable with 障る (さわる).

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉に触さわらないでくださいplease do not touch 〈thing〉
展てん示じ品ひんには触さわらないでください。
Please do not touch the exhibits.
〈事こと〉に触さわらない方ほうがいいit's better not to get involved in 〈matter〉
その話はなしには触さわらない方ほうがいい。
You'd better not get involved in that matter.
気きに触さわるto get on someone's nerves; to offend
彼かれの言いい方かたが気きに触さわった。
The way he spoke offended me.
体からだに触さわるto be harmful to one's health
夜よ更ふかしは体からだに触さわるよ。
Staying up late is bad for your health.

Expressions

虫むしに障さわるhave a stomach ache · get on one's nerves; cause offense
寄よると触さわるとwhenever they get together; every time they meet
舌した触ざわりがいいsoft and pleasant on the tongue
腫はれ物ものに触さわるようwalking on eggshells; treating with extreme care

Kanji

触contact, touch, feel

Transitive / intransitive

触る is used both intransitively with に (壁に触る, 'to touch the wall') and, especially in casual speech, transitively with を (壁を触る, 'to touch the wall').

Related words

障さわるN1sense 3
障る specifically means to have a harmful or irritating effect (as in 気に障る), while 触る covers both physical touching and this negative sense.
触ふれるN3sense 1
触れる suggests a light, brief, or incidental touch (or figuratively 'touching on' a topic), while 触る implies more deliberate or sustained contact.
弄いじるN1
触る simply means to touch something with your hand, while 弄る implies fiddling or manipulating it with your fingers out of idle habit.
撫なでるN3
触る means simply to touch something, whereas 撫でる specifically describes a gentle stroking or patting motion.

Don't confuse with

騒さわぐN4
騒ぐ (さわぐ) means to make noise or fuss, while 触る (さわる) means to touch something; the two are easily confused because of their similar pronunciation and spelling.
障さわるN1
触る (transitive, 〜を触る) means 'to touch', while 障る (intransitive, 〜に障る) means 'to harm/irritate'; they are homophones written with different kanji.

Word family· 10

触さわり
feel; touch; texture · manner; attitude; way of dealing with others · highlight; best part; climax · beginning; intro
手て触ざわり
feel; texture; touch
肌はだ触ざわり
feel; texture; touch · manner with people; personal manner; feel of dealing with someone
舌した触ざわり
mouthfeel; texture (on the tongue)
口くち触ざわり
texture in the mouth; mouthfeel; how food feels when eaten

Show 5 more

指ゆび触ざわり
feel to the touch; texture when touched with fingers
歯は触ざわり
texture of food; mouthfeel
耳みみ触ざわり
feeling one gets from listening; aural impression
触さわり金がね
nut (shamisen part)
足あし触ざわり
feel underfoot; texture felt by the feet

Written forms

触さわるUsage68%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
さわるUsage32%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the physical touch sense.

Etymology

Native Japanese verb. The kanji 触 is used for its meaning 'touch, contact'. The reading さわる is a kun'yomi.