1.
to tilt; to incline
to lean or slant something to one side
首を傾げる。
To tilt one's head.
彼女は不思議そうに首を傾げた。
She tilted her head, looking puzzled.
犬が首を傾げて見ている。
The dog is looking with its head tilted.
傾げる most commonly appears in the expression 首を傾げる (tilt one's head).
VERB TYPE:
- Ichidan verb (る-verb)
- Transitive
KANJI NOTE:
- Uses 傾げる from 傾く (to lean)
- Alternative reading: 傾げる (same meaning, less common)
KEY EXPRESSION:
- 首を傾げる is by far the most common usage
- Indicates puzzlement, confusion, or curiosity
- Can describe humans or animals
COLLOCATIONS:
- 首を傾げる (tilt one's head - questioning gesture)
- 不思議そうに首を傾げる (tilt head as if puzzled)
- 疑問を感じて首を傾げる (tilt head in doubt)
NUANCE:
- 首を傾げる typically implies doubt or confusion
- Shows the person doesn't understand or questions something
- Very visual, often used in descriptions
RELATED VERBS:
- 傾ける (to tilt, lean - more general)
- 傾く (to lean, incline - intransitive)
DIFFERENCE FROM 傾ける:
- 傾げる: Usually for 首 (head), expressive gesture
- 傾ける: More general tilting of objects
REGISTER: Neutral. Common in both speech and writing.