避さける

also: よける

さ

け

る

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

避ける · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	避さける	避さけない
Polite	避さけます	避さけません
Past polite	避さけました	避さけませんでした
Past	避さけた	避さけなかった
Te-form	避さけて	避さけないで
Desire	避さけたい	避さけたくない
Potential	避さけられるalso 避さけれる	避さけられないalso 避さけれない
Passive	避さけられる	避さけられない
Causative	避さけさせる	避さけさせない
Causative passive	避さけさせられる	避さけさせられない
Volitional	避さけよう
Polite volitional	避さけましょう
Imperative	避さけろ	避さけるな
Conditional	避さければ	避さけなければ
Tara conditional	避さけたら	避さけなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

dodge; avoid physical contact; get out of the way of

Only with reading よける

Read よける. Used when avoiding something physically, such as a person, vehicle, ball, puddle, or obstacle.

飛とんできたボールをよけた。
I dodged the ball that came flying at me.
水みずたまりをよけて歩あるいた。
I walked around the puddles.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

avoid; evade; shirk

Only with reading さける

Read さける. Used for avoiding situations, topics, questions, duties, risks, or unpleasant involvement; with responsibilities, it can imply shirking them.

混こん雑ざつを避さけるため、朝あさ早はやく出しゅっ発ぱつした。
We left early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
彼かれはその質しつ問もんを避さけた。
He evaded that question.

ichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb

ward off; avert; keep away

Used for preventing or keeping away something undesirable, such as sun, danger, misfortune, or a bad outcome. The よける reading is common for physical shielding, while さける is common for averting risks or outcomes.

帽ぼう子しで強つよい日ひ差ざしをよける。
I use a hat to ward off the strong sunlight.
早はやめの対たい策さくで最さい悪あくの事じ態たいを避さけることができた。
We were able to avert the worst-case scenario by acting early.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

put aside; move out of the way

Only with reading よける

Read よける. Used when moving an object aside so that space is clear or something is no longer in the way.

通つう路ろの荷に物もつを脇わきによけてください。
Please move the luggage in the passage off to the side.

See all 818 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉をよけるto dodge or avoid contact with a thrown or moving object
とんできたボールをよけた。
I dodged the ball that came flying at me.
〈人ひと〉を避さけるto avoid a person socially, keeping distance from them
彼かれは苦にが手てな上じょう司しを避さけている。
He avoids the boss he doesn't get along with.
〈場ば所しょ〉を避さけるto avoid a place or time to escape inconvenience or crowds
満まん員いん電でん車しゃを避さけるために早はやく家いえを出でた。
I left home early to avoid the crowded train.
〈物もの〉を避さけるto ward off or protect oneself from something harmful like sun or rain
日ひ焼やけを避さけるために日ひ傘がさを差さした。
I used a parasol to avoid getting sunburned.

Expressions· 7

暑しょを避さけるto summer; to go away for the summer
煩はんを避さけるspare the trouble; avoid the bother
三さん舎しゃを避さけるkeep one's distance; give a wide berth
問もん題だいを避さけるavoid a problem
責せき任にんを避さけるshirk a responsibility; avoid responsibility

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避さけて通とおれないunavoidable; inevitable; cannot be avoided
避さけては通とおれないcannot be avoided; unavoidable; inevitable

Kanji

避evade, avoid, avert
除exclude, division (x/3), remove

Related words· 13

交かわすN2
かわす emphasizes a quick, skillful dodge of an attack, blow, or awkward question, while 避ける is more neutral and covers avoiding people, topics, or dangers in general.
回かい避ひ sense 2
回避する is a formal, Sino-Japanese verb typically used for avoiding risks, duties, or system failures, whereas 避ける is the everyday word usable for both physical dodging and avoiding situations.
忌いむ
避ける is the everyday, general word for avoiding something, while 忌む specifically implies avoiding something considered taboo or unlucky.
遠とおざける
避ける is the general word for avoiding contact with something, while 遠ざける specifically emphasizes actively creating distance from it.

Show 9 more

敬けい遠えんN1
避ける is the plain, everyday verb for avoiding something, while 敬遠 adds the nuance of deliberately keeping distance because the person or thing feels troublesome or hard to handle.
かわす
避ける means to avoid something by staying away or not engaging with it, while 躱す implies a quick, evasive movement to dodge something already coming at you.
免まぬがれるN1
避ける is a general verb for staying away from something by choice, while 免れる implies narrowly escaping a consequence that was already imminent.
逃にげるN4
避ける means to deliberately avoid something (a person, topic, or situation) without necessarily physically fleeing, whereas 逃げる implies actively running away or dodging.
そらすN2
避ける means to avoid or dodge something outright, whereas 逸らす is used specifically for turning one's gaze, attention, or a topic away from something.
防ふせぐN3
避ける means to avoid something by staying away from it, while 防ぐ means to actively stop it from happening or from having an effect.
嫌きらうN3
避ける focuses purely on the act of staying away from something, while 嫌う additionally conveys the underlying feeling of dislike that motivates avoidance.
厭いとう
避ける means to actively avoid a person, place, or action, while 厭う expresses a feeling of reluctance without necessarily acting to avoid it.
退のけるN3
避ける means to deliberately avoid contact with someone or something, while 退ける (sense 3) means to keep someone apart or shun them, often within a social group.

Opposites

向むき合あうN2
避ける means to avoid or dodge a problem, the opposite of 向き合う's sense of confronting it head-on.

Don't confuse with

退のけるN3sense 4
退ける（のける）means to remove, push aside, or reject something, while 避ける（よける）means to dodge or step out of the way of something without necessarily moving it.
裂さけるN1
避ける (さける) means 'to avoid' and is a completely different verb from 裂ける (さける) 'to split/tear', despite sharing the same reading.
退しりぞけるN1
除ける means to dodge or set something aside, while 退ける means to reject, repel, or expel with a sense of authority.

Written forms

避けるUsage90%
- さける
  Common spelling and reading for avoiding situations, topics, risks, or unwanted outcomes.
- よける
  Same kanji spelling as さける, but read よける especially for physically dodging, shielding from, or moving something aside.
さけるUsage6%
よけるUsage5%
Practical kana spelling for the よける readings, useful when the kanji 避ける might be confused with さける.
除よける
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form for よける; learners will more often see 避ける or kana in ordinary writing.

Etymology

Native Japanese verb written conventionally with 避, a kanji associated with avoiding or evading. The rare spelling 除ける uses 除, associated with removing or excluding. The exact historical derivation is not specified.