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9
曲がる

To Be Bent

Meaning

To Be Bent, To Bend, To Curve, To Turn

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means both music and bend. For this word, we're looking at "bend." So the verb 曲がる is to be bent. It's intransitive, so don't give it a direct object. Use it to say something gets bent or bends: a knee is bent, the road bends — that sort of thing. Verbs ending in okurigana that rhyme with ある tend to be intransitive like this. You can remember this because if something is ある, it's just there, existing, not acting on anything else. That's why verbs that sound like it are often intransitive too!

Reading

まがる

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You already learned this reading with 曲げる, so you should be good to go!

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 右に曲がる

    to turn right

    左に曲がる

    to turn left

    北に曲がる

    to turn north

  • 道を曲がる

    to turn down a road

    角を曲がる

    to turn at the corner

    カーブを曲がる

    to go around a curve

Context Sentences

この道を右に曲がると、コンビニがあります。

Turn right on this road and you'll find a convenience store.

足首が曲がっている気がするんです。

I feel like my ankle is bent.

そのマスタード色のネクタイ、ちょっと曲がってるよ。

Your mustard-colored necktie is a bit crooked.

Kanji Composition