Japanese word

塗る

Pronunciation

Romajinuru

Meaning

  • verbapply

Example

手にクリームを塗ります。te ni ku rī mu o nu ri ma su

I apply cream to my hands.

Illustration for 塗る (apply)

More examples

子どもたちは絵にきれいな色を塗りました。ko do mo ta chi wa e ni ki re i na iro o nu ri ma shi ta

The children painted the picture in bright colors.

Core concept

Describes spreading a substance over a surface so that it covers or treats that surface.

Common phrases

  • 傷に薬を塗るkizu ni kusuri o nu ru

    apply medicine to a cut

  • 手にクリームを塗るte ni ku rī mu o nu ru

    apply cream to hands

  • 壁を塗るkabe o nu ru

    paint a wall

  • 絵に色を塗るe ni iro o nu ru

    color a picture

Similar words

つけるtsukeru: To put a substance on a surface or body part, often in a small amount.

Definition in Japanese

物の表面に液体やクリームなどを広げて付ける。mono no hyō men ni eki tai ya ku rī mu na do o hiro ge te tsu ke ru

Word origin

塗る (nuru) is a native Japanese verb recorded in Old Japanese as nuru; its continuative form 塗り (nuri) appears in compounds such as 塗り薬 (nurigusuri), "topical medicine."

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 塗る (nuru) covers both applying cream and painting a surface, so English usually chooses apply or paint according to the substance and context.

Other meanings

  • paintverb

Related words

  • 塗り方nurikataway of applyingnoun

Word lists with this word