Meaning and Usage
The verb こぼれる primarily means "to spill" or "to overflow," often used when a liquid or small objects unintentionally fall out from a container. It can also be used metaphorically to describe emotions or sounds spilling out.
Common Contexts
- Literal spilling of liquids or small items, e.g., water from a glass or rice from a bowl.
- Emotional overflow, such as tears or laughter spilling out.
- Sounds or words unintentionally leaking out, like overheard conversations.
Collocations and Patterns
- こぼれる 涙 (tears spill): used to express crying or emotional overflow.
- こぼれる 水 (water spills): literal spilling of liquid.
- こぼれる 笑い (laughter spills): laughter escaping unintentionally.
Usage Notes
こぼれる is an intransitive verb, so it does not take a direct object. The focus is on the subject that spills or overflows by itself. Learners often confuse it with こぼす, which is the transitive form meaning "to spill (something)." Remember: こぼれる = something spills out by itself; こぼす = someone spills something.
Politeness and Register
This verb is neutral and commonly used in everyday conversation and writing. It is neither particularly formal nor informal.