- 1. [v1, vi] to be clear (of a sight, sound, colour, etc.); to be bright; to be vivid; to be crisp
- 2. [v1, vi] to be clear-headed; to be alert; to be on the ball; to be wide awake
- 3. [v1, vi] to look upbeat; to be perky; to be cheerful — often as 冴えない
- 4. [v1, vi] to master (a skill); to excel at; to cleanly execute
- 5. [v1, vi] to be satisfying — often as 冴えない
- 6. [v1, vi] to become frigid; to become intensely cold — original meaning; now somewhat old-fashioned
Conjugation — Verb (ichidan)
| Dictionary form | さえる | (saeru) |
| Polite | さえます | (saemasu) |
| Past, plain | さえた | (saeta) |
| Past, polite | さえました | (saemashita) |
| Negative, plain | さえない | (saenai) |
| Negative, polite | さえません | (saemasen) |
| Past negative, plain | さえなかった | (saenakatta) |
| Past negative, polite | さえませんでした | (saemasendeshita) |
| Te-form | さえて | (saete) |
| Potential | さえられる | (saerareru) |
| Volitional | さえよう | (saeyou) |
| Conditional (―ba) | さえれば | (saereba) |
| Passive | さえられる | (saerareru) |
| Causative | さえさせる | (saesaseru) |
| Imperative | さえろ | (saero) |
Kanji in this word
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冴
be clear, serene, cold, skilfulOn: ゴ (go)、 コ (ko)Kun: さ.える (sa.eru)、 こお.る (koo.ru)、 ひ.える (hi.eru)
Example Sentences
満月が空にさえている。
A full moon is shining bright in the sky.
昨日ゆっくり休んだ分、今日は頭が冴えている。
I feel smart today, to a degree that is in proportion to the amount of good rest I had yesterday.