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分かる

wa-ka-ru

分かる is not 'to know' — it is a blur coming into focus

The picture A smudged shape slowly sharpens until the outline sits clearly in your head. 分かる is a shape sharpening on its own; 知る is a new dot landing in a head that did not have it.

Core verbs

Where the picture shows up in 分かる

  1. Words line up inside

    説明が分かりました。

    setsumei ga wakari-mashita

    I understood the explanation.

    The words that came through the ear settle into one tidy row inside the head.

  2. The route draws a line

    駅までの道が分かりますか。

    eki made no michi ga wakari-masu ka

    Do you know the way to the station?

    A faint road on the map hardens into one clear line you can follow.

  3. The cause jumps out

    故障の原因が分かりました。

    koshō no gen'in ga wakari-mashita

    We found the cause of the breakdown.

    You look inside the opened machine and one scorched part catches your eye.

  4. A covered answer shows

    検査の結果は明日分かります。

    kensa no kekka wa ashita wakari-masu

    The test results come tomorrow.

    A cloth lifts off the paper and the number stands in plain view.

    English says results 'come in'; Japanese frames it as the viewer's focus arriving.

  5. Another's feeling reflects

    お気持ちは分かります。

    o-kimochi wa wakari-masu

    I do understand how you feel.

    The tight look on their face prints itself onto your own chest.

All of it in one picture

分かる is one picture: focus arriving. Words that came in through the ear line up, and you have understood; a faint road on the map draws itself into one clear line, and you know the way; one burnt part jumps out of the open machine, and you have the cause; the cloth lifts off the paper, and the result is there; the other person's face prints itself on your chest, and you feel what they feel. So 分かる never says 'I worked at it' — it says 'it came clear'.

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See all Japanese core images