Meaning and Usage
萎びる (しなびる) primarily means "to shrivel" or "to wilt," often used to describe plants, vegetables, or flowers losing their freshness and becoming limp or wrinkled. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a person's appearance looking tired or worn out.
Common Contexts
This verb is frequently used in everyday conversation about food, gardening, or describing someone's tired look. It often implies a loss of vitality or freshness.
Collocations and Patterns
- 野菜が萎びる (やさいがしなびる): vegetables shriveling
- 花が萎びる (はながしなびる): flowers wilting
- 顔が萎びる (かおがしなびる): face looking shriveled or tired
Register and Nuance
萎びる is neutral in politeness and can be used in both casual and formal contexts. It conveys a somewhat negative nuance, indicating decline or loss of freshness.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 萎びる with 枯れる (かれる), which also means "to wither" but is more often used for plants dying completely. 萎びる suggests wrinkling or shriveling without necessarily dying.