磨く

• Reading: みがく
• Romaji: migaku
• Kanji breakdown: 磨 (ma/miga) — to polish, to grind, to brush
• Pronunciation: /mi.ɡa.kɯ/

Meaning

To polish; to brush (teeth); to shine; to scrub. Most commonly used for tooth-brushing in daily conversation.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the く ending (磨いて, 磨いた, 磨きます). While it covers polishing and shining broadly, the most frequent N5-level usage is 歯を磨く (to brush teeth). Also used figuratively: 腕を磨く (to polish one's skills).

Examples

1. 寝る前に歯を磨きます。 I brush my teeth before going to bed.
2. 靴をきれいに磨いた。 I polished my shoes until they were clean.
3. 毎日三回歯を磨いています。 I brush my teeth three times every day.

Usage Guide

Context: hygiene, daily routine, housework

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 磨 combines 石 (stone) and 麻 (hemp), evoking the image of rubbing stone with hemp to polish it smooth. The meaning extended from physical polishing to any form of cleaning or refinement.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal