Common word› JLPT N5 › Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Conjugation 調べる · ichidan verb
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 調しら べる 調しら べない Polite 調しら べます 調しら べません Past polite 調しら べました 調しら べませんでした Past 調しら べた 調しら べなかった Te-form 調しら べて 調しら べないで Desire 調しら べたい 調しら べたくない Potential 調しら べられる also 調しら べれる 調しら べられない also 調しら べれない Passive 調しら べられる 調しら べられない Causative 調しら べさせる 調しら べさせない Causative passive 調しら べさせられる 調しら べさせられない Volitional 調しら べよう Polite volitional 調しら べましょう Imperative 調しら べろ 調しら べるな Conditional 調しら べれば 調しら べなければ Tara conditional 調しら べたら 調しら べなかったら
Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 で 調しら べる to look something up using a resource or tool
I looked up the meaning of the word in a dictionary.
〈 事こと 〉 の 原げん 因いん を 調しら べる to investigate the cause of something
They are investigating the cause of the accident.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 身み 元もと を 調しら べる to check someone's identity or background
The police checked the suspect's identity.
〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 を 調しら べる to search or inspect a place
The police examined the scene.
Related words· 11 検査する is a formal term for systematic inspection or testing (e.g. medical checks), while 調べる is the everyday, general word for looking into or checking something.
調査する implies a formal, often thorough investigation or survey, whereas 調べる can describe any casual or serious act of checking or looking something up.
確認する means to confirm or verify something already known, while 調べる focuses on the process of finding out or examining information.
探す means to search for something lost or desired, focusing on locating it, while 調べる focuses on examining or looking up information about something already identified.
Show 7 more Show fewer 調べる is the general, everyday verb for checking or looking into something, while 取り調べる specifically means a formal, systematic investigation or interrogation by authorities.
調べる means to investigate or look something up from scratch, while 確かめる means to confirm something you already suspect or partly know.
調べる means to investigate or look into facts methodically, while 尋ねる in this sense has a more narrative, seeking-out feel.
調べる means to examine or check systematically, whereas 探る suggests a more tentative probing into something unknown or concealed.
調べる is the general word for investigating or looking something up, whereas 糺す specifically emphasizes probing to establish the truth of a matter.
調べる is a general, everyday verb for investigating or looking something up, while 改める (sense 3) is formal and used for official inspections like tickets or documents.
調べる is the plain, neutral verb for investigating, while 洗う in this figurative sense implies a thorough, almost scrubbing-like scrutiny (often of a person's background).
Word family· 17 investigation; inspection; examination · tune; melody; note
investigation; examination; inquiry
preliminary investigation; advance research · preparation for class; studying ahead
investigate; examine; interrogate
machine belt
Show 9 more Show fewer belt pulley
leather machine belt
preliminary test; trial run; warm-up
looking up the meaning (of a word)
census-taking; examination of family registers
something to look up; matter to investigate
track down; hunt up; ferret out
re-examine; review; recheck
Rokudan no Shirabe (koto piece)
See all 17 in Explore →
Written forms 調しら べる Usage 97%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency word.
しらべる Usage 3%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing and for learners.
Etymology Derived from the verb 調ぶ (しらぶ ), an older form meaning 'to investigate' or 'to examine', with the ichidan verb suffix 〜る . The kanji 調 carries meanings of 'investigate', 'tune', and 'arrange'.
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