呼ぶ

• Reading: よぶ
• Romaji: yobu
• Kanji breakdown: 呼 (ko/yo) — to call, to summon
• Pronunciation: /jo.bɯ/

Meaning

To call out to; to call; to summon; to invite. Used for calling someone's name or inviting people.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the ぶ ending (呼んで, 呼んだ, 呼びます). Used broadly: calling someone by name, calling a taxi, inviting friends to a party, or summoning help. The noun form 呼び方 means 'way of calling/addressing.'

Examples

1. タクシーを呼んでください。 Please call a taxi.
2. 名前を呼ばれて振り向いた。 Someone called my name and I turned around.
3. パーティーに友達を呼びます。 I'm inviting friends to the party.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, social situations, emergencies

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 呼 combines 口 (mouth) with 乎, a character suggesting exhalation. The meaning of calling out with one's voice has remained consistent since Old Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal