慣らす

• Reading: ならす
• Romaji: narasu
• Kanji breakdown: 慣 (kan/na) — accustom, habituate
• Pronunciation: /na.ɾa.sɯ/

Meaning

To accustom; to get used to; to habituate. To make someone or something familiar with a new condition.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the す row (慣らさない, 慣らします). The transitive pair of 慣れる (to become accustomed). Used for training the body or mind to adapt: 体を慣らす (to warm up the body), 目を慣らす (to let eyes adjust), 耳を慣らす (to train the ear). Not to be confused with 鳴らす (to ring/sound).

Examples

1. 新しい靴を足に慣らすために毎日少しずつ履いている。 I'm wearing my new shoes a little each day to break them in.
2. 暗い部屋で目を慣らしてから歩き始めた。 I let my eyes adjust to the dark room before I started walking.
3. 外国語のリスニングは耳を慣らすことが大切だ。 When it comes to foreign language listening, it's important to train your ears.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, daily life, training

Tone: practical

Origin & History

Compound of 慣 (kan, accustomed) and the transitive verb-forming suffix す. The kanji 慣 combines 忄 (heart) and 貫 (to pierce through), suggesting a feeling that pierces through and becomes habitual.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal