WORD DETAIL
和らげる
やわらげる
Examples
Included kanji
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: 和らげる (やわらげる) is a transitive verb meaning to ease or soften heat, tension, pain, or another condition.
- Basic usage: It is used for reducing heat by opening a window or softening a tense atmosphere with a joke.
- 窓を開けて部屋の暑さを和らげる。 — Opening the window eases the heat in the room.
- 彼の冗談が張り詰めた空気を少し和らげた。 — His joke softened the tense atmosphere slightly.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Object being eased
- 和らげる is transitive, so the condition being eased takes を, as in 暑さを和らげる; it differs from intransitive 和らぐ, in which the condition itself eases.