Meaning and Usage
"晴れる" primarily means "to become sunny" or "to clear up" when talking about weather. It is commonly used to describe the sky becoming clear after rain or clouds. Besides weather, "晴れる" can also describe swelling or inflammation going down, such as on the face or body.
Common Contexts
- Weather: "明日は晴れるでしょう" (It will probably be sunny tomorrow).
- After rain: "雨がやんで空が晴れた" (The rain stopped and the sky cleared up).
- Physical condition: "顔の腫れがやっと晴れた" (The swelling on my face finally went down).
Collocations and Patterns
- 晴れる日 (a sunny day): Used to talk about days with clear weather.
- 晴れる空 (clear sky): Describes the sky when it becomes clear.
- 腫れが晴れる (swelling goes down): Used in medical or casual contexts to describe reduction of swelling.
Register and Nuance
"晴れる" is a neutral verb suitable for everyday conversation and writing. It is polite enough for general use but not formal language. When used for swelling, it implies improvement or recovery.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "晴れる" with "腫れる" (はれる) which means "to swell". Although they share the same reading, the kanji and meanings differ. "晴れる" is about clearing or brightening, while "腫れる" is about swelling. Context and kanji help distinguish them.