踊る

• Reading: おどる
• Romaji: odoru
• Kanji breakdown: 踊 (you/odo) — to dance, to leap
• Pronunciation: /o.do.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To dance. Used for all forms of dancing, from traditional to modern.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb conjugated with the る ending (踊って, 踊った, 踊ります). Related noun: 踊り (odori — dance). Covers all types of dancing: 盆踊り (Bon festival dance), social dancing, and modern dance. Japanese culture has many traditional dance forms tied to festivals and ceremonies.

Examples

1. お祭りでみんなと踊りました。 I danced with everyone at the festival.
2. 音楽に合わせて踊りましょう。 Let's dance to the music.
3. 彼女はダンスがとても上手に踊れます。 She can dance very well.

Usage Guide

Context: festivals, entertainment, music

Tone: cheerful

Origin & History

The kanji 踊 combines 足 (foot) with 甬 (a phonetic element suggesting movement). The character literally depicts feet in motion, capturing the essence of dance as rhythmic foot movement.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal