頷く · godan verb (-ku)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 頷く | 頷かない |
| Polite | 頷きます | 頷きません |
| Past polite | 頷きました | 頷きませんでした |
| Past | 頷いた | 頷かなかった |
| Te-form | 頷いて | 頷かないで |
| Desire | 頷きたい | 頷きたくない |
| Potential | 頷ける | 頷けない |
| Passive | 頷かれる | 頷かれない |
| Causative | 頷かせる | 頷かせない |
| Causative passive | 頷かせられるalso 頷かされる | 頷かせられないalso 頷かされない |
| Volitional | 頷こう | |
| Polite volitional | 頷きましょう | |
| Imperative | 頷け | 頷くな |
| Conditional | 頷けば | 頷かなければ |
| Tara conditional | 頷いたら | 頷かなかったら |
godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb
nod; nod in agreement; bow one's head in assent
Describes the physical action of nodding, typically to show agreement, understanding, or acknowledgment. Often used in the progressive form うなずいている to describe someone nodding along.
彼は私の意見に深くうなずいた。
He nodded deeply in agreement with my opinion.
先生の話を聞きながら、生徒たちは何度もうなずいていた。
The students nodded repeatedly as they listened to the teacher.
He nodded to the teacher.
She nodded firmly in agreement with that opinion.
He said nothing and just nodded silently.
うなずく is a single, everyday verb for nodding, whereas 首を縦に振る is a more explicit, slightly formal phrase emphasizing the vertical head motion as a sign of agreement.
頷く means to nod one's head in agreement, while 首を振る means to shake one's head, usually to show refusal or disagreement.
相槌 refers to spoken interjections showing you're listening, whereas うなずく is the physical act of nodding, not a verbal response.
Kana spelling; common in informal writing or when the kanji is considered difficult.
Rarely used kanji form; learners should prefer 頷く.
Ateji spelling; very rare and not recommended for general use.
Ateji spelling; very rare and not recommended for general use.