傾く

Reading: かたむく  |  Meaning: to tilt, to lean, to decline (in status or condition)

Term

  • かたむ
  • katamuku

Meaning

  • to tilt
  • to lean
  • to decline (in status or condition)

Part of Speech

  • 動詞 (Verb)

Kanji Breakdown

  • かたむ – lean; incline; tilt

Usage Notes

  • Often used for physical tilting or leaning objects (trees, shelves, buildings).
  • Also used metaphorically for decline, e.g. company performance or national stability.
  • The te-form 傾いて is used for progressive or explanatory contexts.

Conjugation

FormExample
Dictionaryかたむ
ます-formかたむきます
Te-formかたむいて
Nai-formかたむかない
Ta-formかたむいた

Example Sentences

  1. (Informal)
    あの木、強風で傾くかもね。
    Ano ki, kyoufuu de katamuku kamo ne.
    (That tree might tilt in the strong wind.)

  2. (Formal / Business)
    業績が傾く前に、新たな戦略を検討する必要があります。
    Gyouseki ga katamuku mae ni, aratana senryaku o kentou suru hitsuyou ga arimasu.
    (We need to consider a new strategy before our performance declines.)

  3. (Academic / Exam Style)
    地盤が緩むことで建物が傾く可能性がある。
    Jiban ga yurumu koto de tatemono ga katamuku kanousei ga aru.
    (There is a possibility that the building will tilt due to ground loosening.)

  4. (Natural / Spoken)
    この棚、ちょっと傾いてない?
    Kono tana, chotto katamuite nai?
    (Isn’t this shelf kind of tilting?)

  5. (Anime / Manga)
    「この国が傾く前に、俺が守る!」
    “Kono kuni ga katamuku mae ni, ore ga mamoru!”
    (“I will protect this country before it falls!”)


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