甘(あま)える

あまえる
godan verb
to depend on; to act spoiled; to presume upon someone's kindness
1. to depend on someone's affection; to act spoiled; to presume upon someone's kindness
To seek or expect indulgence from someone in a close relationship, allowing oneself to be emotionally dependent.
子供(こども)が母親(ははおや)に甘(あま)えている。
The child is acting spoiled with their mother.
彼女(かのじょ)は彼(かれ)に甘(あま)えるのが上手(じょうず)だ。
She's good at acting dependent on him.
ご好意(こうい)に甘(あま)えて、お言葉(ことば)に甘(あま)えます。
I'll take you up on your kind offer.

CULTURAL CONCEPT:
甘(あま)え is a key Japanese psychological concept, famously analyzed by psychiatrist 土居(どい)健郎(たけお) in his book 「甘(あま)えの構造(こうぞう)」(The Anatomy of Dependence). It describes the desire to be passively loved and the expectation of indulgence from close relationships.

TRANSITIVITY:

  • Type: Intransitive (自動詞(じどうし))
  • Pair: 甘(あま)やかす (to spoil, to pamper) - transitive
  • Pattern: XがYに甘(あま)える

ASPECT:

  • 甘(あま)えている = is currently acting dependent/spoiled (ongoing action or state)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • Xに甘(あま)える (to depend on X, to act spoiled toward X)
  • 好意(こうい)に甘(あま)える (to take advantage of someone's kindness)
  • お言葉(ことば)に甘(あま)えて (taking you up on your kind words - polite acceptance)
  • 親切(しんせつ)に甘(あま)える (to presume upon someone's kindness)

Related Words

Pair verb: 甘(あま)やかす (transitive)
general
Added 2026.1.18 12:30 · Revised 2026.2.19 21:32
06500/06624_amaeru