Japanese word

変わる

Pronunciation

Romajikawaru

Meaning

  • verbchange

Example

天気が変わります。ten ki ga ka wa ri ma su

The weather changes.

Illustration for 変わる (change)

More examples

毎日、天気が変わります。mai nichi ten ki ga ka wa ri ma su

The weather changes every day.

引っ越すと、生活が大きく変わります。hi kko su to sei katsu ga ō ki ku ka wa ri ma su

When you move, your lifestyle changes a lot.

Core concept

Marks the subject as becoming different from how it was before, rather than someone actively changing it.

Common phrases

  • 考えが変わるkanga e ga ka wa ru

    change one's opinion

  • 気が変わるki ga ka wa ru

    change one's mind

Similar words

変化するhenkasuru: To become different in form, state, or nature.
移り変わるutsurikawaru: To change gradually over time from one state or condition to another.

Definition in Japanese

物事のあり方が前と異なるものになる。mono goto no a ri kata ga mae to koto na ru mo no ni na ru

Word origin

変わる (kawaru) is a native Japanese verb written with 変 (hen, "change"), whose meaning matches the verb's basic sense of alteration.

Usage tips

  • The phrase 気が変わる (ki ga kawaru) commonly means changing one's mind, with the person as the subject whose mind changes.

Other meanings

  • varyverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 変わり者kawarimonoeccentricnoun
  • 変わり方kawarikataway of changingnoun

Word lists with this word