Meaning and Usage
The verb 片付ける (かたづける) means "to tidy up," "to clean up," or "to put away." It is a transitive verb used when someone actively organizes or cleans a space or items.
Common Contexts
You will often hear 片付ける in daily life when talking about cleaning rooms, putting away dishes, or organizing desks. It implies making a place neat and orderly.
Collocations and Patterns
- 部屋を片付ける: to tidy up a room
- 食器を片付ける: to put away dishes
- 仕事の後で片付ける: to clean up after work
These phrases are very common and useful for everyday conversation.
Register and Politeness
片付ける is neutral and can be used in casual and polite speech. To be more polite, you can add ください (please) as in 食器を片付けてください.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 片付ける with 掃除する (そうじする), which means "to clean" in the sense of washing or scrubbing. 片付ける focuses more on organizing and putting things in order rather than deep cleaning.