ふやける

ふやける
verb (ichidan)
to become soggy
1. to become soggy
to soak and become soft; to become waterlogged or sodden
(めん)がふやけてしまった。
The noodles got soggy.
風呂(ふろ)(なが)(はい)ると(ゆび)がふやける。
If you stay in the bath too long, your fingers get wrinkly.
(あめ)(ほん)がふやけてしまって()めなくなった。
The book got waterlogged in the rain and became unreadable.

ふやける is an intransitive ichidan verb describing something absorbing water and becoming soft, soggy, or waterlogged.

TRANSITIVITY: Intransitive (自動詞(じどうし)). The transitive counterpart is ふやかす (to soak something).

KANJI:

  • Can be written as ()やける, but hiragana is standard

COMMON USES:

  • Food: Noodles, bread, or rice that absorb too much water
  • Skin: Wrinkled fingers/toes after bathing or swimming
  • Paper: Books, documents damaged by water

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • (めん)がふやける (noodles get soggy)
  • (ゆび)がふやける (fingers get wrinkly from water)
  • ふやけた(ほん) (waterlogged book)

TRANSITIVITY PAIR:

  • ふやける (intransitive): to become soggy
  • ふやかす (transitive): to soak, to soften with water

USAGE NOTE:
Often has a negative nuance - something becoming soggy when it shouldn't be (overcooked noodles, damaged paper).

REGISTER: Neutral. Common in everyday speech.