扇(あお)ぐ

あおぐ
godan verb
to fan, to flap
1. to fan
To move air with a fan or similar object to create a breeze.
うちわで顔(かお)を扇(あお)ぐ。
I fan my face with a paper fan.
火(ひ)を扇(あお)いで燃(も)やす。
I fan the fire to make it burn.
夏祭(なつまつ)りの夜(よる)、浴衣(ゆかた)姿(すがた)の女性(じょせい)がうちわで涼(すず)しそうに扇(あお)いでいた。
On the night of the summer festival, a woman in a yukata was fanning herself to cool down.
2. to incite, to stir up
To provoke or encourage (feelings, actions).
不安(ふあん)を扇(あお)る報道(ほうどう)。
News coverage that stirs up anxiety.
SNSで対立(たいりつ)を扇(あお)る書(か)き込(こ)みが増(ふ)えている。
Posts that stir up conflict on social media are increasing.
彼(かれ)は群衆(ぐんしゅう)の怒(いか)りを扇(あお)って、デモに発展(はってん)させた。
He incited the crowd's anger and escalated it into a demonstration.

扇(あお)ぐ means to fan or create air movement.

TRANSITIVITY:

  • Type: 他動詞(たどうし) (transitive)
  • Takes を particle: 顔(かお)を扇(あお)ぐ

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • うちわで扇(あお)ぐ: to fan with a paper fan
  • 火(ひ)を扇(あお)ぐ: to fan a fire
  • 不安(ふあん)を扇(あお)る: to stir up anxiety

FIGURATIVE USE:
扇(あお)る can mean to incite or inflame (emotions, conflict). In this sense, it's often written as 煽(あお)る.

NOTE: Don't confuse with 仰(あお)ぐ (to look up at, to respect).

general
Added 2026.1.13 9:40 · Revised 2026.2.19 23:40
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