うたう

う

た

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Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

うたう · godan verb (-u)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	うたう	うたわない
Polite	うたいます	うたいません
Past polite	うたいました	うたいませんでした
Past	うたった	うたわなかった
Te-form	うたって	うたわないで
Desire	うたいたい	うたいたくない
Potential	うたえる	うたえない
Passive	うたわれる	うたわれない
Causative	うたわせる	うたわせない
Causative passive	うたわせられるalso うたわされる	うたわせられないalso うたわされない
Volitional	うたおう
Polite volitional	うたいましょう
Imperative	うたえ	うたうな
Conditional	うたえば	うたわなければ
Tara conditional	うたったら	うたわなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

extol; sing the praises of; celebrate

usually written using kana alone

Used for publicly praising or celebrating someone or something, often in a somewhat formal or rhetorical tone. Common in phrases like 功績をうたう.

新しん聞ぶんは彼かれの功こう績せきを大おおいにうたった。
The newspaper greatly extolled his achievements.
この詩しは自し然ぜんの美うつくしさをうたっている。
This poem celebrates the beauty of nature.

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

declare; stipulate; state firmly

usually written using kana alone

Used for formally stating or insisting on something, especially in documents, contracts, or official declarations. Often seen in legal or political contexts.

憲けん法ぽうは基き本ほん的てき人じん権けんをうたっている。
The constitution stipulates fundamental human rights.
契けい約やく書しょにはその条じょう件けんが明めい確かくにうたわれている。
The contract clearly states those conditions.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉を謳うたうto extol/celebrate something (e.g. an achievement)
この会かい社しゃは創そう業ぎょう以い来らいの功こう績せきを謳うたっている。
This company extols its accomplishments since its founding.
効こう果かを謳うたうto tout/claim an effect (often in advertising)
その化け粧しょう品ひんは美び白はく効こう果かを謳うたっている。
That cosmetic product claims to have a whitening effect.
〈場ば所しょ〉に謳うたわれているto be stated/set forth in (a document, law, etc.)
その条じょう項こうは契けい約やく書しょに謳うたわれている。
That clause is set forth in the contract.
〈事こと〉と謳うたわれるto be reputed/celebrated as something
彼かれは天てん才さいと謳うたわれている。
He is celebrated as a genius.

Kanji

謳extol, declare, express

Related words

称たたえる sense 1
称える is the more common, modern word for praising someone, while 謳う carries a more formal, rhetorical flavor often used for public or written praise.
明めい記きN1sense 2
明記する simply means to state clearly in writing, while 謳う (sense 2) implies a formal or emphatic declaration, often in legal or official documents.
賛さん美びN1sense 1
賛美する leans toward reverent or religious praise, whereas 謳う is used more broadly for extolling achievements or virtues in formal contexts.
規き定ていN1sense 2
規定する is the neutral legal term for stipulating a rule, while 謳う adds a rhetorical or emphatic tone to the same act of declaring something in a document.

Don't confuse with

歌うたうN5
歌う means 'to sing' and is unrelated in meaning to 謳う, which means 'to extol' or 'to declare'; they are distinguished only by kanji since both share the same reading.

Etymology

The kanji 謳 is composed of 言 (speech) and 區 (an old phonetic component), originally meaning 'to sing' or 'to chant'. The verb うたう developed extended meanings of 'to praise in song' and later 'to declare formally'. The kana spelling is now standard.