JLPT N2 · Verb

例える (tatoeru)

例える (たとえる, tatoeru) is a Japanese verb meaning “to compare (something) to; to liken”. It appears in JLPT N2 vocabulary lists and is marked as a common word in JMdict.

Reading
たとえる
Romaji
tatoeru
Word class
Ichidan verb (る-verb)
Level
JLPT N2 (unofficial)

Meaning

  1. to compare (something) to; to liken; to speak figuratively; to use a simile; to use a metaphor · ichidan verb, transitive

Example sentences

その詩人は死を眠りにたとえた。
The poet compared death to sleep.

Sentences from the Tatoeba project, linked to this word in JMdict.

Conjugation of 例える

Ichidan verb (る-verb). Plain and polite forms below; try any other word in the Japanese verb conjugator.

FormJapaneseReading
Dictionary例えるたとえる tatoeru
Polite (~masu)例えますたとえます tatoemasu
Negative例えないたとえない tatoenai
Polite negative例えませんたとえません tatoemasen
Past例えたたとえた tatoeta
Polite past例えましたたとえました tatoemashita
Negative past例えなかったたとえなかった tatoenakatta
Te-form例えてたとえて tatoete
Potential例えられるたとえられる tatoerareru
Passive例えられるたとえられる tatoerareru
Causative例えさせるたとえさせる tatoesaseru
Volitional例えようたとえよう tatoeyou
Imperative例えろたとえろ tatoero
Conditional (~ba)例えればたとえれば tatoereba

Kanji in 例える

Related words

Other vocabulary sharing a kanji with 例える.

Source: JMdict entry 1597130 (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0). Level: unofficial JLPT list – how levels are assigned.