| Rank | Kanji | Hiragana | Meaning(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 言う | いう | to name |
| 2 | 行う | おこなう | to perform |
| 3 | 使う | つかう | to use (a tool, method, a person, animal, puppet, time, money, language, etc.) |
| 4 | 問う | とう | to ask, to blame (someone) for, to care about, to call into question |
| 5 | 思う | おもう | to think, to think (of doing), to judge, to imagine, to expect |
| 6 | 奪う | うばう | to take (by force), to absorb (one’s attention) |
| 7 | 追う | おう | to chase, to follow (a set order, a trend, etc.), to drive out |
| 8 | 失う | うしなう | to lose, to miss (a chance, opportunity), to concede (goals, points, etc.) |
| 9 | 襲う | おそう | to attack, to succeed (someone in a post, role, etc.), to make a sudden visit |
| 10 | 見舞う | みまう | to visit and comfort or console, to attack |
| 11 | 合う | あう | to come together, to fit, to be profitable |
| 12 | 支払う | しはらう | to pay |
| 13 | 語らう | かたらう | to talk |
| 14 | 買う | かう | to buy, to value (highly), to incur (someone’s anger, displeasure, etc.), to accept |
| 15 | 誘う | さそう | to invite, to tempt, to induce (tears, laughter, sleepiness, etc.) |
| 16 | 争う | あらそう | to compete, to quarrel, to deny (e.g. evidence) |
| 17 | 話し合う | はなしあう | to discuss |
| 18 | 覆う | おおう | to cover |
| 19 | 競り合う | せりあう | to struggle for |
| 20 | 扱う | あつかう | to deal with (a person, problem), to operate (e.g. a machine), to deal in, to cover (a topic) |
| 21 | 狙う | ねらう | to aim at (with a weapon, etc.), to be after (something or someone), to aim for |
| 22 | 負う | おう | to carry on one’s back, to take (responsibility), to suffer (an injury), to owe (a debt of gratitude to) |
| 23 | 疑う | うたがう | to doubt |
| 24 | 構う | かまう | to mind, to be an issue, to keep company, to interfere with |
| 25 | 歌う | うたう | to sing, to sing of (love, beauty, etc.) in a poem |
| 26 | 救う | すくう | to rescue from |
| 27 | 嫌う | きらう | to hate |
| 28 | 知り合う | しりあう | to get to know each other |
| 29 | 舞う | まう | to dance (orig. a whirling dance), to whirl (in the wind) |
| 30 | 損なう | そこなう | to harm, to fail to do, to almost do |
| 31 | 請け負う | うけおう | to contract, to take over |
| 32 | 漂う | ただよう | to drift, to waft (e.g. a scent), to be in the air (e.g. a feeling or mood), to wander |
| 33 | 闘う | たたかう | to make war (on), to compete (against), to struggle (against adversities, etc.) |
| 34 | 出会う | であう | to meet (by chance), to meet (e.g. of rivers, highways, etc.), to emerge and engage (an enemy) |
| 35 | 間に合う | まにあう | to be in time (for), to serve (suit, meet) the purpose |
| 36 | 通う | かよう | to go to and from (a place), to go to (school, work, etc.), to circulate (e.g. blood, electricity), to resemble |
| 37 | 巡り会う | めぐりあう | to meet fortuitously (e.g. running into an old friend) |
| 38 | 装う | よそおう | to dress (oneself in), to pretend |
| 39 | 払う | はらう | to pay (e.g. money, bill), to brush off, to drive away (e.g. one’s competitors), to sell off (something unneeded), to pay (e.g. attention) |
| 40 | 笑う | わらう | to laugh, to smile, to sneer |
| 41 | 洗う | あらう | to wash, to inquire into, to purify (one’s heart) |
| 42 | 向かう | むかう | to face, to go towards |
| 43 | 飛び交う | とびかう | to fly about |
| 44 | 似通う | にかよう | to resemble closely |
| 45 | 祝う | いわう | to celebrate, to present (a gift) in celebration, to wish for (a happy future, good fortune, etc.) |
| 46 | 雇う | やとう | to employ, to hire |
| 47 | 似合う | にあう | to suit |
| 48 | 迷う | まよう | to lose one’s way, to waver, to give into temptation, to be charmed |
| 49 | 集う | つどう | to meet |
| 50 | 会う | あう | to meet, to have an accident |
| 51 | 飼う | かう | to keep (a pet or other animal) |
| 52 | 請う | こう | to beg, to pray |
| 53 | 出し合う | だしあう | to contribute jointly |
| 54 | 付き添う | つきそう | to attend on |
| 55 | 競い合う | きそいあう | to compete with |
| 56 | 違う | ちがう | to differ (from), to be wrong, to become abnormal |
| 57 | 患う | わずらう | to be ill, to worry about, to have trouble doing … |
| 58 | 味わう | あじわう | to taste, to appreciate, to experience |
| 59 | 賄う | まかなう | to supply (goods, money, etc.), to give board |
| 60 | 培う | つちかう | to cultivate |
| 61 | 占う | うらなう | to tell someone’s fortune, to predict |
| 62 | 慕う | したう | to yearn for, to follow (someone), to idolize (for virtue, learning, status, etc.) |
| 63 | 整う | ととのう | to be ready, to be in order, to be adjusted |
| 64 | 狂う | くるう | to go mad, to get out of order, to go wrong (of a plan or expectation, etc.) |
| 65 | 縫う | ぬう | to sew, to weave one’s way (e.g. through a crowd) |
| 66 | 食らう | くらう | to eat, to receive (e.g. a blow), to be on the receiving end (of something undesirable) |
| 67 | 張り合う | はりあう | to compete (with each other) |
| 68 | 立ち合う | たちあう | to be matched against (in a sports contest) |
| 69 | 願う | ねがう | to desire, to beg, to have something done for oneself |
| 70 | 償う | つぐなう | to make up for |
| 71 | 間違う | まちがう | to make a mistake |
| 72 | 抱き合う | だきあう | to embrace each other |
| 73 | 見計らう | みはからう | to choose at one’s own discretion, to choose when to do something |
| 74 | 出そろう | でそろう | to appear all together |
| 75 | 食う | くう | to eat, to live, to bite, to tease |
| 76 | 語り合う | かたりあう | to talk together |
| 77 | 吸う | すう | to smoke, to suck, to absorb |
| 78 | 酔っ払う | よっぱらう | to get drunk |
| 79 | 誓う | ちかう | to swear |
| 80 | 奮う | ふるう | to muster (e.g. one’s courage), to be enlivened |
| 81 | 重なり合う | かさなりあう | to lie on top of each other |
| 82 | 連れ添う | つれそう | to become a couple |
| 83 | 競う | きそう | to compete |
| 84 | 取り扱う | とりあつかう | to handle, to deal with (an issue), to treat (someone), to deal in |
| 85 | 住まう | すまう | to live |
| 86 | 言い合う | いいあう | to say to each other, to quarrel |
| 87 | 弔う | とむらう | to mourn for, to hold a memorial service for |
| 88 | 沿う | そう | to run along, to follow (a policy, plan, etc.), to meet (wishes, expectations, etc.) |
| 89 | 食い違う | くいちがう | to not match well (e.g. at the seams), to differ (e.g. of opinions) |
| 90 | 背負う | せおう | to carry on one’s back, to be burdened with, to have (something) in the background, to be conceited |
| 91 | 恥じらう | はじらう | to feel shy |
| 92 | 取り払う | とりはらう | to clear away |
| 93 | 倣う | ならう | to imitate |
| 94 | 溶け合う | とけあう | to melt together |
| 95 | 拾う | ひろう | to pick up, to find (and pick up; something someone has dropped), to select, to get (unexpectedly) |
| 96 | 潤う | うるおう | to become moist, to profit (from), to be refreshed (of one’s mind) |
| 97 | 酔う | よう | to get drunk, to feel sick (e.g. in a vehicle), to be elated |
| 98 | 養う | やしなう | to support, to bring up, to adopt (a child), to cultivate (a habit, a quality, etc.) |
| 99 | 絡み合う | からみあう | to intertwine, to become intertwined (of matters, interests, etc.) |
| 100 | 掛け合う | かけあう | to negotiate (with someone about), to throw on each other |