あしらう

あ

し

ら

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

あしらう · godan verb (-u)

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

Meanings

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

treat; handle; deal with

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 遇う

Used for how one interacts with or manages a person, situation, or object, often implying a certain attitude or manner.

彼かれは難むずかしい客きゃくを上手じょうずに遇あしらった。
He handled the difficult customer skillfully.
彼かの女じょはどんな質しつ問もんにも冷れい静せいに遇あしらう。
She deals with any question calmly.

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

arrange; decorate; adorn; dress; garnish

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 配う

Used for arranging or decorating something, often with a creative or aesthetic touch. Common in contexts like food presentation, floral arrangement, or dressing up an object.

料りょう理りを彩いろどりよく配あしらう。
Arrange the dish with colorful garnishes.
彼かの女じょはテーブルを花はなで配あしらった。
She decorated the table with flowers.

See all 35 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉を冷つめたくあしらうto treat someone coldly / give someone the cold shoulder
彼かれは彼かの女じょを冷つめたくあしらった。
He treated her coldly.
〈物もの〉を〈物もの〉であしらうto decorate or garnish something with something
料りょう理りを青あお菜なであしらう。
He garnished the dish with greens.
〈人ひと〉を軽かるくあしらうto brush someone off lightly
彼かれは記き者しゃの質しつ問もんを軽かるくあしらった。
He brushed off the reporter's question lightly.
花はなをあしらうto arrange flowers as a decorative touch
テーブルに花はなをあしらった。
She decorated the table with flowers.
適てき当とうにあしらうto handle someone or something in a perfunctory, half-hearted way
店てん員いんは客きゃくを適てき当とうにあしらった。
The clerk dealt with the customer in a perfunctory manner.

Kanji

遇meet, encounter, interview
配distribute, spouse, exile

Related words

扱あつかうN3sense 1
扱う focuses on physically handling or dealing with things in a practical way, while あしらう often implies a more nuanced, artful, or interpersonal manner of treatment.
飾かざるN4sense 2
飾る is the general word for decorating anything, while あしらう in this sense suggests a subtler, more tasteful or creative arrangement.
応おう対たいN2sense 1
応対する is a neutral, formal term for responding to visitors or customers, while あしらう often carries a nuance of brushing someone off or handling them dismissively.
添そえるN2sense 2
添える means to add something as an accompaniment or garnish, while あしらう emphasizes the aesthetic arranging of that garnish or decoration.

Written forms

あしらうUsage100%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 遇う and 配う are rare and not in common use.
遇あしらう
Rare kanji form restricted to the 'treat/handle' sense.
配あしらう
Rare kanji form restricted to the 'arrange/decorate' sense.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the classical verb あしらふ, but the exact derivation is unclear.