遊(あそ)び

あそび

noun

play; game; amusement

1. play, playing, game

The activity of playing, especially for children.

子供(こども)の遊(あそ)び

Children's play

外(そと)での遊(あそ)びが好(す)きだ。

I like playing outdoors.

子供(こども)たちが遊(あそ)びに夢中(むちゅう)になっている。

The children are absorbed in play.

2. amusement, fun, recreation

Activities done for enjoyment rather than work.

遊(あそ)びに来(き)てください。

Please come over to hang out.

Common invitation

仕事(しごと)と遊(あそ)びのバランスが大切(たいせつ)だ。

The balance between work and play is important.

週末(しゅうまつ)は友達(ともだち)と遊(あそ)びに出(で)かけることが多(おお)い。

I often go out with friends for fun on weekends.

3. slack, play (mechanical)

A small amount of looseness in a mechanism.

ハンドルに遊(あそ)びがある。

There's play in the steering wheel.

Mechanical slack

ブレーキの遊(あそ)びが大(おお)きすぎる。

There's too much play in the brakes.

このネジには少(すこ)し遊(あそ)びがあったほうがいい。

It's better to have a little slack in this screw.

遊(あそ)び is a noun derived from the verb 遊(あそ)ぶ. It covers a wide range from children's play to adult recreation, and even mechanical slack.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

遊(あそ)びに行(い)く: to go out for fun, to visit someone casually
遊(あそ)びに来(く)る: to come over (casually)
遊(あそ)び相手(あいて): playmate, companion
遊(あそ)び場(ば): playground
遊(あそ)び半分(はんぶん): half in play, not serious

IMPORTANT USAGE:
遊(あそ)びに行(い)く/来(く)る is one of the most common casual expressions in Japanese. It means "to go/come visit" or "to go/come hang out" — much broader than English "play." Adults use it freely for casual socializing.

MECHANICAL SENSE:
In engineering contexts, 遊(あそ)び means "play" or "slack" — the looseness in a mechanism like a steering wheel or brake. ハンドルに遊(あそ)びがある (There's play in the steering wheel).

NUANCE:
In some contexts, 遊(あそ)び can imply frivolity or not taking things seriously: 遊(あそ)びじゃない (This isn't a game).

遊(あそ)び

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