乾かす

• Reading: かわかす
• Romaji: kawakasu
• Kanji breakdown: 乾 (kawa/kan) — dry, parch
• Pronunciation: /ka.wa.ka.sɯ/

Meaning

To dry. To remove moisture from something by exposing it to air or heat.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb ending in す. Used for drying clothes (洗濯物を乾かす), hair (髪を乾かす), and other wet objects. This is the transitive counterpart to 乾く (kawaku, to become dry). Common in daily life contexts involving laundry, personal care, and cleaning.

Examples

1. 洗濯物をベランダで乾かしている。 I'm drying the laundry on the balcony.
2. ドライヤーで髪を乾かしてから出かけた。 I dried my hair with a blow dryer before heading out.
3. 雨に濡れた靴を玄関で乾かした。 I dried my rain-soaked shoes at the front door.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, laundry, personal care

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the kanji 乾 (kan/kawa, dry) with the causative-like す ending that makes it transitive. The kanji depicts steam rising from a heated surface — the process of evaporation.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal