消える

• Reading: きえる
• Romaji: kieru
• Kanji breakdown: 消 (shō/ki/ke) — erase, extinguish; water radical (氵) + 肖 (diminish)
• Pronunciation: /ki.e.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To disappear; to vanish; to go out (of a light or fire); to fade away.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb. Used for lights going out, fires dying, things vanishing, and marks fading. Forms a transitive-intransitive pair with 消す (kesu, to erase/turn off). Common patterns: 電気が消える (the light goes out), 雪が消える (the snow melts away).

Examples

1. 電気が急に消えました。 The lights suddenly went out.
2. 雪が暖かくなって消えた。 The snow melted away as it got warmer.
3. ホワイトボードの文字が消えています。 The writing on the whiteboard has disappeared.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, weather, electricity

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 消 combines the water radical (氵) with 肖 (to diminish/resemble), suggesting something being washed away or gradually diminishing like water.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal