誓(ちか)う

ちかう
godan verb
to swear; to vow; to pledge
1. to swear; to vow; to take an oath
To make a solemn promise or declaration, often with religious or formal significance.
永遠(えいえん)の愛(あい)を誓(ちか)う。
To vow eternal love.
神(かみ)に誓(ちか)って、私(わたし)は無実(むじつ)です。
I swear to God, I am innocent.
選手(せんしゅ)たちは開会式(かいかいしき)で正々堂々(せいせいどうどう)と戦(たたか)うことを誓(ちか)った。
The athletes vowed at the opening ceremony to compete fairly.
2. to pledge; to promise solemnly
To commit oneself firmly to a course of action or to another person.
永遠(えいえん)の愛(あい)を誓(ちか)う。
To vow eternal love.
二度(にど)と嘘(うそ)をつかないと誓(ちか)った。
I swore never to lie again.
もう二度(にど)と同(おな)じ失敗(しっぱい)はしないと自分(じぶん)に誓(ちか)った。
I pledged to myself that I would never make the same mistake again.

誓(ちか)う is transitive (他動詞(たどうし)). It takes the object marker を for what is being sworn.

ASPECT ({ている}):
誓(ちか)っている indicates an ongoing state of having made a vow, or the act of swearing in progress.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 愛(あい)を誓(ちか)う (to vow love)
  • 忠誠(ちゅうせい)を誓(ちか)う (to pledge allegiance)
  • 神(かみ)に誓(ちか)う (to swear to God)
  • ～することを誓(ちか)う (to vow to do ~)

PARTICLE PATTERNS:

  • ～を誓(ちか)う: What is being sworn
  • ～に誓(ちか)う: To whom/what one swears

Register: Neutral to formal. Used in serious contexts such as ceremonies, courts, and solemn promises.

Related Words

Related: 約束(やくそく) (promise (less solemn))
general
Added 2026.1.13 15:25 · Revised 2026.2.19 23:40
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