慣らす

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

Meaning

To domesticate; to tame; to train an animal. To make a wild creature accustomed to humans.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb, sharing the same kanji and conjugation as 慣らす (to accustom). In this usage, it specifically refers to taming or domesticating animals: 馬を慣らす (to break in a horse), 犬を慣らす (to train a dog to people). The boundary between 'accustoming' and 'taming' is contextual — animals are the typical object in this sense.

Examples

1. 野生の馬を慣らすには時間と根気が必要だ。 Taming a wild horse takes time and patience.
2. 保護した猫を人に慣らすために毎日話しかけている。 I talk to the rescued cat every day to get it used to people.
3. 新しい環境に犬を慣らすのは飼い主の役目だ。 Getting a dog used to a new environment is the owner's responsibility.

Usage Guide

Context: animal care, farming, nature

Tone: gentle

Origin & History

Same etymological origin as 慣らす (to accustom). The domestication sense developed naturally from the idea of making a creature accustomed to human contact and commands.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal