Japanese word

潜る

Pronunciation

Romajimoguru

Meaning

  • verbdive

Example

海に潜ります。umi ni mogu ri ma su

I dive into the sea.

Illustration for 潜る (dive)

More examples

息を止めて、深く潜りました。iki o to me te fuka ku mogu ri ma shi ta

I held my breath and dove deep.

Core concept

Expresses entering below a surface or leaving ordinary sight by going into a concealed place.

Common phrases

  • 海に潜るumi ni mogu ru

    dive into the sea

  • 水中深く潜るsui chū fuka ku mogu ru

    dive deep underwater

  • 海底まで潜るkai tei ma de mogu ru

    dive to the seafloor

Similar words

潜水するsensuisuru: To travel or remain underwater as a purposeful activity.
飛び込むtobikomu: To enter water or a place with a jump or a sudden forward movement.
沈むshizumu: To descend below a surface without necessarily choosing to do so.

Definition in Japanese

水面や地面の下に身を入れる。また、人目につかない所に隠れる。sui men ya ji men no shita ni mi o i re ru ma ta hito me ni tsu ka na i tokoro ni kaku re ru

Word origin

潜る (moguru) is a native Japanese verb rather than a loanword; older Japanese uses むぐる (muguru), and 潜 (sen, "submerge") records the meaning in writing.

Usage tips

  • The spelling 潜る (moguru) can also be read くぐる (kuguru) when it means passing under or through something, so the surrounding context determines the reading.

Other meanings

  • go into hidingverb
  • go undergroundverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 潜りmoguridivingnoun

Word lists with this word