Japanese word

浮かぶ

Pronunciation

Romajiukabu

Meaning

  • verbcome to mind

Example

いい考えが浮かびます。i i kanga e ga u ka bi ma su

A good idea comes to mind.

Illustration for 浮かぶ (come to mind)

More examples

困ったとき、ふと別の方法が浮かびました。koma tta to ki fu to betsu no hō hō ga u ka bi ma shi ta

When I was stuck, a different solution suddenly came to mind.

Core concept

Describes a thought or memory rising into awareness as if it were floating to the surface.

Common phrases

  • 考えが浮かぶkanga e ga u ka bu

    an idea comes to mind

  • 頭に浮かぶatama ni u ka bu

    come to mind

  • 顔が浮かぶkao ga u ka bu

    a face comes to mind

Similar words

思い浮かぶomoiukabu: To enter the mind as an image, thought, or memory.
思いつくomoitsuku: To form or find an idea through one's own thinking.
よぎるyogiru: To briefly pass through the mind as a thought or memory.
ひらめくhirameku: To suddenly produce a clear idea or solution.

Definition in Japanese

考えや記憶などが心の中にふと現れる。kanga e ya ki oku na do ga kokoro no naka ni fu to arawa re ru

Word origin

The native Japanese verb 浮かぶ (ukabu, "come to mind; float") is historically related to 浮く (uku, "float"), sharing the sense of rising to the surface.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 浮かぶ (ukabu) can take an idea, answer, name, or memory as its subject, so it covers more than just new ideas.

Other meanings

  • floatverb

Word lists with this word