Translation and Meaning of: 履く - haku

The Japanese word 履く[はく] is an essential verb for anyone learning the language, especially for describing everyday actions related to clothing. If you've ever wondered how the Japanese talk about putting on shoes or wearing certain types of clothing, understanding the meaning and usage of 履く is fundamental. In this article, we will explore everything from its basic meaning to cultural curiosities and practical memorization tips.

Besides being a common word in everyday life, 履く has interesting peculiarities in its application, such as the type of clothing items with which it is used. If you want to avoid basic mistakes or simply expand your vocabulary, keep reading to discover everything about this versatile term.

Meaning and use of 履く

The verb 履く means "to wear" or "to put on" and is used specifically for items that cover the feet or the lower body, such as shoes, socks, and pants. Unlike other verbs like 着る (for upper clothing) or かぶる (for hats), 履く has a more limited scope, which helps to avoid confusion when forming sentences.

A classic example is 靴を履く (くつをはく), which means "to put on shoes." This pattern is repeated with other accessories, such as ズボンを履く (to wear pants) or 靴下を履く (to wear stockings). It is worth noting that, in the case of skirts or dresses, the Japanese typically use the verb 穿く (also read as はく), which shares the pronunciation but has a different kanji.

Origin and curiosities about kanji

The kanji 履 is composed of the radical 尸 (which indicates something related to the body) combined with 復 (which suggests repetition or movement). This combination reflects well the act of putting something on repeatedly, like we do with shoes in our daily lives. Interestingly, this same kanji appears in words like 履歴書 (りれきしょ), which means "resume," in the sense of a record of "steps" in a career.

Although it is a commonly used character, 履 is not among the most frequent kanjis in the Japanese language. It appears around the 1500th place in frequency rankings, which means you will likely encounter it more easily in specific contexts related to clothing or documentation.

Tips for memorizing and using correctly

An effective way to reinforce the meaning of 履く is to mentally associate it with items that cover the feet. Think of everyday situations, like entering a house and changing shoes - something highly valued in Japanese culture. This concrete image helps to differentiate it from other dressing verbs.

Another strategy is to create flashcards with practical phrases, such as 毎朝靴を履く (まいあさくつをはく - "I put on my shoes every morning"). Repeating these examples out loud strengthens both vocabulary retention and correct pronunciation. Over time, the use of 履く will become natural in your conversations in Japanese.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Verb conjugation of 履く

• 履きます - Affirmative form, present, polite
• 履く - Affirmative form, present, informal
• 履かない - Negative form, present, informal
• 履きました - Affirmative, past, polite
• 履かなかった Negative form, past tense, informal
• 履くだろう Conditional form, informal
• 履け！ - Imperative form, informal

Synonyms and similar words

• 穿く (haku) - Wear or use clothes below the waist, like pants or skirts.
• 履ける (hakeru) - To be able to wear clothes or footwear.
• 履かせる (hakaseru) - Make (someone) wear or use footwear.
• 着る (kiru) - Wear clothes above the waist, such as shirts or blouses.
• 身につける (mi ni tsukeru) - Wearing or using, covering all types of items, focusing on accessories and clothing.

履く

Romaji: haku
Kana: はく
Type: verb
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: to use; put on (lower body)

Meaning in English: to wear;to put on (lower body)

Definition: Wear shoes and socks on your feet.

Example Sentences - (履く) haku

See below some example sentences:

靴を履く。

Kutsu wo haku

It means "putting on your shoes." in English.

Wear shoes.

• 靴 - Shoe
• を - direct object particle
• 履く - to wear

ジーパンを履くとカッコいい。

Jiipan wo haku to kakkoi

It's nice to use jeans.

• ジーパン - jeans
• を - partícula que indica o objeto da frase
• 履く - to wear (bottoms)
• と - partícula que indica uma condição ou situação
• カッコいい - cool, stylish

ストッキングを履くと足がきれいに見えます。

Sutokkingu wo haku to ashi ga kirei ni miemasu

When wearing socks

If you wear socks, your feet look beautiful.

• ストッキング - pantyhose
• を - object particle
• 履く - wear, use (in this case, the tights)
• と - Comparison particle
• 足 - foot leg
• が - subject particle
• きれい - beautiful, clean
• に - adjective particle
• 見えます - appear, become visible

草履を履いて神社に行きました。

Waraji wo haite jinja ni ikimashita

I went to the shrine wearing zori.

I went to the shrine wearing sandals.

• 草履 - traditional Japanese sandals
• を - object particle
• 履いて - continuous form of the verb "履く" (to wear)
• 神社 - Shinto shrine
• に - target particle
• 行きました - The past tense of the verb "行く" (iku) is "行った" (itta).

サンダルを履いて海辺を散歩しました。

Sandaru wo haite umibe wo sanpo shimashita

I took a stroll along the seafront wearing sandals.

I took a stroll along the seafront wearing sandals.

• サンダル (sandaru) - sandal
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 履いて (haite) - wearing, wearing
• 海辺 (umibe) - sea ​​shore
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 散歩 (sanpo) - walk
• しました (shimashita) - past tense of the verb "to do"

スカートを履いています。

Sukāto wo haiteimasu

I'm wearing a skirt.

I'm wearing a skirt.

• スカート (sukāto) - get out
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 履いています (haiteimasu) - is wearing/putting on