凍る

• Reading: こおる
• Romaji: kooru
• Kanji breakdown: 凍 (tō/kō) — freeze, congeal
• Pronunciation: /ko.o.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To freeze; to be frozen over; to congeal. Used when liquids solidify from cold or when things become ice-covered.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the る row. An intransitive verb describing the natural process of freezing — water becomes ice, roads freeze over. The transitive counterpart is 凍らせる (to freeze something). Also used figuratively: 場が凍る (the atmosphere freezes, i.e., an awkward silence).

Examples

1. 昨夜は寒くて池の水が凍った。 It was so cold last night that the water in the pond froze.
2. 冬になると道路が凍るので運転に気をつけてください。 Roads freeze over in winter, so please drive carefully.
3. 冷凍庫に入れたジュースが凍ってしまった。 The juice I put in the freezer ended up freezing solid.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, cooking, daily life

Tone: descriptive

Origin & History

The kanji 凍 combines 冫 (ice radical) and 東 (east, used phonetically). The ice radical clearly signals the meaning of freezing or frost.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal