How do you say "clear up" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "clear up" is 片付ける (katazukeru). It is a verb pronounced "kah-tah-zoo-keh-roo".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

片付ける is written in kanji and hiragana. Romanised as katazukeru, it sounds roughly like "kah-tah-zoo-keh-roo" to an English ear.

Example sentence

子供たちは片付けますのが楽しそうです。

Kodomotachi wa katazukemasu no ga tanoshisou desu.

The children seem to enjoy clear uping.

Usage notes

片付ける means to clear up in Japanese. This is an everyday verb that learners encounter early. Mastering its masu form (片付けます) and te-form opens up many sentence patterns.

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Questions about 片付ける

How do you pronounce 片付ける?

片付ける is romanised as katazukeru. Say it roughly like "kah-tah-zoo-keh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 片付ける formal or casual?

片付ける is the plain (dictionary) form, used in casual speech and in dictionaries. For polite situations, verbs take a different ending, typically -masu. In Noun Town the game always shows the dictionary form.

How is 片付ける written in Japanese?

片付ける is written using kanji and hiragana. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.