濡れる

• Reading: ぬれる
• Romaji: nureru
• Kanji breakdown: 濡 (ju/nu) — wet, damp, moist
• Pronunciation: /nɯ.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To get wet; to become damp; to be soaked. Describes something becoming wet from water or liquid.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb. The transitive pair is 濡らす (nurasu, to wet something). Used for rain, spills, tears, and any situation where something absorbs water. Commonly paired with に for the cause: 雨に濡れる (to get wet in the rain).

Examples

1. 傘を忘れて雨に濡れてしまった。 I forgot my umbrella and got soaked in the rain.
2. 服が濡れたので着替えたいです。 My clothes got wet, so I want to change.
3. 床が濡れているので気をつけてください。 The floor is wet, so please be careful.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, daily life, cleaning

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 濡 combines 氵 (water radical) with 需 (need, demand). Suggests water that clings or is absorbed — a thorough wetting, not just a splash.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal