泣ける
Meaning: Makes you cry, so touching or moving — used as a one-word reaction to recommend something emotionally powerful.
The potential form of 泣く (naku, to cry), meaning 'it makes one cry' or 'it's cry-worthy.' 泣ける is one of the most common one-word reactions in Japanese reviews and social media. Saying 泣ける about a film, song, or story is a strong recommendation — it means the content is emotionally powerful enough to bring you to tears. 泣ける映画 (nakeru eiga) is a standard genre label.
Examples
- この曲マジで泣ける。歌詞がやばい。 这首歌真的太催泪了。歌词太绝了。Esta canción te hace llorar de verdad. La letra es brutal.이 노래 진짜 울려. 가사가 장난 아니야.
- 泣ける映画を探してるんだけど、おすすめある? 在找催泪电影,有什么推荐的吗?Busco películas que te hagan llorar, ¿alguna recomendación?울리는 영화를 찾고 있는데, 추천 있어?
- 最終回泣けた。こんなに泣いたアニメ初めて。 最后一集太催泪了。第一次哭成这样的动画。El último capítulo me hizo llorar. Nunca había llorado tanto con un anime.최종회 울었어. 이렇게 많이 운 애니메이션은 처음이야.
Pronunciation
/na.ke.ɾɯ/
Usage Guide
Context: reviews, social media, daily conversation
Tone: emotional, recommendatory
✓ Do Say
- あの映画泣けるから、ティッシュ用意して。 (That film will make you cry, so have tissues ready.)那部电影超催泪的,准备好纸巾。(那部电影会让你哭的,准备好纸巾吧。)Esa película te hará llorar, así que ten pañuelos a mano. (That film will make you cry, so have tissues ready.)그 영화 울리니까 휴지 준비해. (That film will make you cry, so have tissues ready.)
- マジ泣けた。こんな話ずるいよ。 (I seriously cried. A story like that is just unfair.)真的哭了。这种故事太犯规了。(我真的哭了。这样的故事简直是犯规。)De verdad que lloré. Una historia así no vale, es trampa. (I seriously cried. A story like that is just unfair.)진짜 울었어. 이런 이야기 반칙이야. (I seriously cried. A story like that is just unfair.)
✗ Don't Say
- 泣ける場面を事前にネタバレしない (Don't spoil which scenes are tear-jerking — let people experience it naturally)不要提前剧透哪些场景会催泪——让别人自己去感受No hagas spoiler de qué escenas son las que hacen llorar — deja que la gente lo viva por sí misma (Don't spoil which scenes are tear-jerking — let people experience it naturally)울리는 장면을 미리 스포일러하지 않는다 (Don't spoil which scenes are tear-jerking — let people experience it naturally)
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 泣ける (nakeru, makes you cry / touching) with 泣かせる (nakaseru, to make someone cry intentionally) — 泣ける is about the content's emotional power, not deliberate action
Origin & History
Potential form of 泣く (naku, to cry) meaning 'it makes one cry.' Has long been used in Japanese but became especially prominent as a one-word review/reaction term with the rise of social media.
Cultural Context
Era: Long-standing usage, amplified by social media in 2000s-2010s
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across Japan. 泣ける映画 (cry-worthy movies) is an established genre category. Extremely common in Amazon reviews, movie recommendations, and Twitter/X reactions.
More From This Topic
More from Emotions & Reactions
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free