調べる

• Reading: しらべる
• Romaji: shiraberu
• Kanji breakdown: 調 (chou/shira) — investigate, check, tune
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ɾa.be.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To check; to look up; to investigate; to search. Broadly used for finding information.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb conjugated by dropping る. Extremely versatile — covers checking dictionaries, searching online, investigating problems, and researching topics. Often paired with インターネットで (on the internet) or 辞書で (in a dictionary).

Examples

1. わからない言葉を辞書で調べました。 I looked up a word I didn't know in the dictionary.
2. インターネットで電車の時間を調べてください。 Please check the train times on the internet.
3. 先生がテストの結果を調べている。 The teacher is checking the test results.

Usage Guide

Context: study, daily life, research

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 調 means 'tune' or 'investigate,' and べる derives from the classical verb ending. Originally meant to examine or scrutinize carefully.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal