cry · sound

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 鳴 denotes an animal crying or an object making a sound; its on-reading is めい, and its kun-readings are なく, なる, and ならす.
• Basic usage: 鳴く describes an animal crying or chirping, while 鳴る describes a clock, floor, or other object sounding.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 鳴く / 鳴る
  • 鳴く: This verb is used when an animal makes a cry, chirp, or similar sound. Example: 夜明け前から庭で鳥が鳴いている。
  • 鳴る: This verb is used when an alarm rings or an object such as a floor makes a sound. Example: 目覚まし時計が鳴る前に目が覚めた。