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Word 2034 of 4449

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弄ぶ

もてあそぶ

to toy with, to trifle with

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 人の気持ちを弄ぶな。

    ひとのきもちをもてあそぶな。

    Don't toy with people's feelings.

  2. 彼はペンを指で弄びながら考えていた。

    かれはペンをゆびでもてあそびながらかんがえていた。

    He was thinking, fiddling with a pen between his fingers.

  3. 運命に弄ばれた人生だった。

    うんめいにもてあそばれたじんせいだった。

    It was a life toyed with by fate.

Common patterns

心を弄ぶ
to trifle with someone's heart
運命に弄ばれる
to be at the mercy of fate
言葉を弄ぶ
to play with words

Memory tip

One word spans two registers: physically fiddling with an object in your hand, and morally toying with a person. The kanji 弄 shows hands turning a jewel over for amusement, which fits both.

Kanji in this word

Quick check

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What does 弄ぶ mean?