広める

• Reading: ひろめる
• Romaji: hiromeru
• Kanji breakdown: 広 (kou/hiro) — wide, broad, spacious
• Pronunciation: /hi.ɾo.me.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To broaden; to propagate; to spread widely. The act of making something known to a wider audience.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb. Unlike 広げる which focuses on physical expansion, 広める emphasizes the dissemination of information, ideas, culture, or knowledge to a broader audience. Common phrases: 知識を広める (spread knowledge), 名前を広める (make a name known), 文化を広める (propagate culture). Often used with abstract objects.

Examples

1. SNSを使って自分の作品を広めることができた。 I was able to spread my work using social media.
2. 日本語の魅力を世界に広めたい。 I want to share the appeal of Japanese with the world.
3. 健康に関する正しい知識を広める活動をしている。 I'm involved in activities to spread accurate health information.

Usage Guide

Context: media, education, culture

Tone: proactive

Origin & History

Derived from the adjective 広い (hiroi, wide). The める suffix creates a transitive verb specifically meaning to make something known more widely — to propagate or disseminate.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal