知る・しる (come to know)

Japanese Grammar Basic Japanese ★★★★★ 5/5 neutral しるshiru
Reading しる
Romaji shiru
Formation Person + は + Thing + を + 知る / 知っている
Kanji breakdown 知 (chi/shi) = know, wisdom

Meaning

Describes acquiring information or knowledge from an external source. The basic form 知る indicates the moment of learning something new, while the te-form 知っている expresses the resulting state of knowing.

The crucial distinction with 知る is between the momentary act (知る) and the resulting state (知っている). When someone asks if you know something, the correct answer is 知っています (I know) or 知りません (I don't know) — not 知っていません. The negative non-past 知らない means 'I don't know' as a state, functioning as the negative counterpart of 知っている. 知る differs from 分かる in that 知る is about possessing factual information (names, facts, news), while 分かる is about comprehending or grasping meaning. The object of knowledge is typically marked with を when emphasising the act of learning, or が in some expressions.

Examples

  1. この歌を知っていますか。 Do you know this song?
  2. 彼の名前は知りません。 I don't know his name.
  3. そのニュースは昨日知った。 I found out about that news yesterday.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: informational

Do Say

  • あの店を知っていますか。
  • 私はその事実を知りませんでした。
  • 友達から彼の結婚を知った。
  • 道を知っている人に聞きましょう。

Don't Say

  • その映画を知っていません。(Using 知っていません for the negative — the correct negative is 知りません) → その映画を知りません。
  • あの人を知る。(Using 知る in plain present to mean 'I know' — use 知っている for the state of knowing) → あの人を知っている。
  • 彼の住所が分かっている。(Using 分かる when you mean factual knowledge — use 知っている for known facts) → 彼の住所を知っている。

Origin & History

An ancient Japanese verb appearing in the earliest texts. The kanji 知 combines 矢 (arrow, representing speed) and 口 (mouth), suggesting swift verbal communication of information.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

ある (existence of inanimate things) Indicates that an inanimate object exists or is located somewhere. It is the counterpart of いる, which is used for animate beings. ある is one of the most fundamental verbs in Japanese and is essential for describing the presence or location of things. いる (existence of animate things) Indicates that an animate being — a person, animal, or other living creature — exists or is located somewhere. It is the animate counterpart of ある and is one of the first verbs learners must master for describing who or what is present. いる (progressive / ongoing state) Used after the て-form of a verb to indicate that an action is currently in progress or that a state resulting from a past action continues. This is the most common way to express the English present progressive ('is doing') in Japanese. する (causing a state or action) The verb する is used to indicate that someone or something causes a state or action to take place. It is the most basic and widely used verb in Japanese, functioning as 'to do' and forming the basis of hundreds of compound verbs with nouns. 分かる・わかる (understand) Expresses that something becomes clear, understandable, or known to someone spontaneously. The thing understood is marked with が, and the person who understands is marked with に or は. It describes a natural, involuntary process of comprehension. 好きだ・すきだ (like) A na-adjective that expresses liking or fondness for something or someone. The liked object is marked with が, and the person who likes is marked with は. It functions as an adjective describing a state of preference, not a verb. ある (resultant state) Used after the て-form of a transitive verb to indicate that something has been done and the resulting state remains. This pattern emphasises the current condition that resulted from a completed action, rather than the action itself. する (cost or duration) する is used to express how much something costs or how long something takes. The amount or duration is typically marked with が, and する indicates the price or time required. This is an idiomatic use distinct from the action-performing する.
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