起(お)きる

おきる

verb (ichidan)

to wake up, to get up

1. to wake up, to get up

Used when someone wakes from sleep and gets out of bed. Can also mean to happen or occur (for events).

I wake up at 6 o'clock every morning.

まだ起(お)きていますか？

Are you still awake?

Te-iru form indicating state

Please wake up early.

I wake up late on Sundays.

I always wake up at 6 o'clock even without an alarm clock.

2. to occur, to happen

Used for events, incidents, or phenomena that take place. Common in news and formal contexts.

事故(じこ)が起(お)きました。

An accident occurred.

What happened?

Please let me know immediately when a problem occurs.

If an earthquake happens, get under your desk immediately.

Strange things often happen when he's not around.

TRANSITIVITY: 自動詞(じどうし) (intransitive). Pair: 起(お)こす (transitive, to wake someone up). Pattern: Xが起(お)きる.

ASPECT: ている indicates resulting state. 起(お)きている = 'is awake' (not 'is waking up'). This is important: まだ起(お)きている means 'still awake.'

COMMON PATTERNS:

Opposite: 寝(ね)る (to sleep/go to bed).

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