開ける vs 開く
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 開ける
Listen to 開く
| 開ける | 開く |
|---|---|
a-KEH-ru verb (transitive) | ひらく verb (transitive) |
| to open (something); to unseal or make accessible | to open (often to open widely; also used for opening events, shops, books; can be transitive or intransitive) |
How they differ
開く (ひらく) often emphasizes opening wide or opening something that 'spreads' (a book, curtains, a shop) and is commonly used for abstract openings (e.g., meetings, shops). 開ける is the neutral, general transitive verb for physically opening objects like doors, windows, boxes; it does not carry the same sense of 'opening widely' or the institutional/ceremonial uses of ひらく.
When to use each
When to use 開ける: Prefer 開ける for routine, physical acts of opening objects (e.g., open a window, box, or door) in everyday speech.
When to use 開く: Prefer 開く (ひらく) when you mean open widely, open something that spreads flat, or to open/hold events or businesses (e.g., 会を開く, 店を開く).
Side-by-side examples
- 窓を開けてください。
(Please open the window.) - 店をひらいて新商品を並べた。
(They opened the shop and displayed the new products.)
Register & nuance: 開く (ひらく) can feel slightly more formal or literary in abstract uses (events, shops), but both 開く and 開ける are common in speech depending on context.