Japanese word

しなびる

Pronunciation

Romajishinabiru

Meaning

  • verbwilt

Example

野菜がしなびます。ya sai ga shi na bi ma su

The vegetables wilt.

Illustration for しなびる (wilt)

More examples

水をやらないと、花がしなびます。mizu o ya ra na i to hana ga shi na bi ma su

The flowers wilt if they are not watered.

Core concept

Describes moisture and firmness leaving a plant or vegetable, so it loses its fresh, upright state.

Common phrases

  • しなびた野菜shi na bi ta ya sai

    wilted vegetables

  • しなびた花shi na bi ta hana

    wilted flowers

  • しなびた葉shi na bi ta ha

    wilted leaves

Similar words

しおれるshioreru: To droop and lose freshness because a plant or its leaves lack water.
干からびるhikarabiru: To become very dry and hard after losing nearly all moisture.
枯れるkareru: To lose vitality and stop growing as a plant's life processes come to an end.

Definition in Japanese

植物や野菜などが水分を失い、張りやみずみずしさがなくなる。shoku butsu ya ya sai na do ga sui bun o ushina i ba ri ya mi zu mi zu shi sa ga na ku na ru

Word origin

The native Japanese verb しなびる (shinabiru) is commonly written 萎びる (shinabiru), with 萎 (i, "wilt") indicating its central sense; the older formation of the verb is not firmly established.

Usage tips

  • In English, wilt commonly describes leaves and leafy vegetables that droop from water loss, while shrivel more often suggests drying and wrinkling.

Other meanings

  • shrivelverb
  • witherverb

Opposites

  • みずみずしいmizumizushiifreshi-adjective

Word lists with this word