Meaning and Usage
The verb 脱ぐ (ぬぐ) means "to take off" clothes or accessories such as shoes, hats, or coats. It is a common verb used in everyday situations when removing clothing.
Common Contexts
You will often hear 脱ぐ when someone is asked to remove shoes before entering a home or temple, or when changing clothes, such as taking off a coat when indoors.
Collocations and Patterns
- 脱ぐ + clothing item (e.g., コートを脱ぐ): to take off a specific piece of clothing.
- 靴を脱ぐ: to take off shoes, a very common phrase especially in Japanese homes.
- 脱ぎます / 脱いでください: polite forms used in requests or statements.
Register and Politeness
脱ぐ is a neutral verb and can be used in casual and polite speech. When making requests, adding ください (e.g., 脱いでください) makes it polite.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 脱ぐ with 着る (きる, to wear). Remember 脱ぐ means to remove clothing, while 着る means to put on clothing. Also, 脱ぐ is not used for hats in some dialects, but generally it is acceptable.
Understanding 脱ぐ well helps you navigate daily life situations involving clothing changes or entering homes where shoe removal is customary.