誘う

• Reading: さそう
• Romaji: sasou
• Kanji breakdown: 誘 (yū/saso) — invite, lure, tempt
• Pronunciation: /sa.soː/

Meaning

To invite (someone to do something with you); to tempt; to lure. Used when asking someone to join an activity.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the う row. The most natural verb for casually inviting someone to do something together — meals, outings, events. Also used for tempting or enticing (眠りに誘う = to lure into sleep). The passive 誘われる (to be invited) is very common. Differs from 招待する, which is a more formal invitation.

Examples

1. 友達を映画に誘ったら喜んでくれた。 When I invited my friend to the movies, they were really happy about it.
2. 春の暖かさに誘われて散歩に出かけた。 Drawn out by the warmth of spring, I went for a walk.
3. 今度の飲み会に田中さんも誘おうよ。 Let's invite Tanaka to the next drinking party too.

Usage Guide

Context: social life, friendships, daily life

Tone: friendly

Origin & History

The kanji 誘 combines 言 (speech radical) and 秀 (excel/outstanding). Words that draw someone out — speech that leads or entices.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal