教える

• Reading: おしえる
• Romaji: oshieru
• Kanji breakdown: 教 (kyou/oshi) — to teach, to instruct
• Pronunciation: /o.ɕi.e.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To teach; to instruct; to tell; to inform. Used for both formal teaching and casual informing.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb. Takes a double object pattern: person に + thing を + 教える. Besides formal teaching (数学を教える), it is commonly used to mean 'to tell/inform someone of something' (道を教える, to tell someone the way). The te-form is 教えて, often used in the request 教えてください.

Examples

1. 田中先生が数学を教えています。 Mr. Tanaka is teaching math.
2. 駅への道を教えてください。 Could you tell me the way to the station?
3. 妹に日本語を教えました。 I taught my younger sister Japanese.

Usage Guide

Context: education, daily life, giving directions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 教 combines 孝 (filial piety/learning) and 攵 (to strike/act), reflecting the ancient concept of teaching through guidance and discipline.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal