跳ねる
Meaning in Englishto jump, to leap
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 跳ねる mean? It means to jump or leap, with the sense of springing upward; it covers both literal jumping by living beings and the motion of liquids and other surfaces that rise; metaphorically it can describe lively energy or anticipation.
Main meanings
- Jumping or leaping action by a person or animal, often with a quick or lively motion
- Liquid splashing or spraying upward when force is applied, causing droplets to leap from a surface
- Figurative use to describe brisk movement, excitement, or energetic mood in a scene or narrative
How to use it
Used intransitively for physical jumping or bouncing; with liquids to describe splashing; used metaphorically to express excitement or liveliness; appropriate in both casual speech and descriptive prose; common in sports, performance, and everyday action.
Variants and close terms
- 躍る (おどる) — odoru
- 跳ぶ (とぶ) — tobu
- 弾む (はずむ) — hazumu
Composition
- 跳 means leap or spring; ねる is the verb-ending that turns the stem into a verb form, producing the sense of performing the leap repeatedly or with action
Etymology
Native Japanese haneru developed as a kun'yomi form of 跳 with the verb-ending -る suffix; the phonetic shape reflects a typical yamato-kotoba verb pattern built from 跳.
Origin
Native Japanese origin; attested in classical literature; kanji representation adopted after the introduction of Chinese characters to Japan.
Word class
Verb (ichidan)