なびく
なびく
verb (godan, intransitive)
to sway; to stream; to be swayed
1.
to sway; to stream; to flutter
To bend or wave in the direction of the wind or a current, typically describing hair, flags, grass, etc.
髪が風になびく。
Her hair sways in the wind.
旗が風になびいている。
The flag is streaming in the wind.
2.
to be swayed; to yield; to submit
To be influenced or won over by someone, to yield to pressure or persuasion.
彼女は権力になびかない人だ。
She's someone who doesn't yield to power.
TRANSITIVITY:
Intransitive verb (自動詞). No pair verb.
The transitive form なびかせる (to make something sway) can be formed causatively.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 髪がなびく (hair sways/streams)
- 旗がなびく (flag flutters)
- 草がなびく (grass sways)
- 権力になびく (to yield to power)
- 誘惑になびく (to succumb to temptation)
FIGURATIVE USAGE:
The second sense of yielding or submitting often has negative connotations, suggesting someone lacks conviction or is easily influenced.
ASPECT:
なびいている describes an ongoing state of swaying or streaming.