Japanese word

ほどく

Pronunciation

Romajihodoku

Meaning

  • verbuntie

Example

母はひもの結び目をほどきます。haha wa hi mo no musu bi me o ho do ki ma su

My mother unties the knot in the string.

Illustration for ほどく (untie)

More examples

帰宅したら、靴ひもをほどきます。ki taku shi ta ra kutsu hi mo o ho do ki ma su

When I get home, I untie my shoelaces.

Core concept

Expresses making a knot, tangle, or fastening open and freeing what it holds.

Common phrases

  • ひもをほどくhi mo o ho do ku

    untie a string

  • 結び目をほどくmusu bi me o ho do ku

    untie a knot

  • 靴ひもをほどくkutsu hi mo o ho do ku

    untie shoelaces

Similar words

緩めるyurumeru: To make a knot or fastening less tight without fully undoing it.

Definition in Japanese

結び目や絡まりを解いて、物を自由な状態にすること。musu bi me ya kara ma ri o to i te mono o ji yū na jō tai ni su ru ko to

Word origin

The native Japanese verb ほどく (hodoku) has an uncertain deeper origin; it is conventionally written 解く (hodoku, "untie or undo") in this sense.

Usage tips

  • ほどける (hodokeru) describes something coming undone on its own, whereas ほどく (hodoku) describes someone causing it to come undone.

Other meanings

  • loosenverb
  • unravelverb

Opposites

Related words

  • ほどき方hodokikataway of untyingnoun

Word lists with this word