翳(かす)む

かすむ

verb (godan)

to become misty; to become dim; to be overshadowed

自動詞 intransitiveweather descriptive

Conjugation

	Affirmative	Negative
Present	翳(かす)む	翳(かす)まない
Present polite	翳(かす)みます	翳(かす)みません
Past	翳(かす)んだ	翳(かす)まなかった
Past polite	翳(かす)みました	翳(かす)みませんでした
て form	翳(かす)んで	翳(かす)まなくて
ている present	翳(かす)んでいる	翳(かす)んでいない
ている polite	翳(かす)んでいます	翳(かす)んでいません
ている past	翳(かす)んでいた	翳(かす)んでいなかった
ている past polite	翳(かす)んでいました	翳(かす)んでいませんでした
Conditional ば	翳(かす)めば	翳(かす)まなければ
Conditional たら	翳(かす)んだら	翳(かす)まなかったら
Volitional	翳(かす)もう	—
Volitional polite	翳(かす)みましょう	—
Potential	翳(かす)める	翳(かす)めない
Passive	翳(かす)まれる	翳(かす)まれない
Causative	翳(かす)ませる	翳(かす)ませない
Imperative	翳(かす)め	翳(かす)むな

1. to become misty; to become hazy

for the atmosphere or view to become unclear due to mist, haze, or distant weather conditions

山(やま)が翳(かす)んで見(み)える。

The mountains look hazy.

春(はる)は遠(とお)くの景色(けしき)が翳(かす)んでいることが多(おお)い。

In spring, distant scenery is often hazy.

黄砂(こうさ)で空(そら)が翳(かす)み、視界(しかい)が悪(わる)くなった。

The sky became hazy from yellow dust, reducing visibility.

2. to become dim; to become blurry

for one's vision to become unclear, often due to tears, tiredness, or aging

涙(なみだ)で目(め)が翳(かす)む。

My eyes are blurred with tears.

疲(つか)れて目(め)が翳(かす)んできた。

My eyes have become blurry from fatigue.

年(とし)を取(と)ると目(め)が翳(かす)みやすくなる。

As you get older, your eyes tend to become dim more easily.

3. to be overshadowed; to pale in comparison

for something to become less noticeable or impressive when compared to something else

彼(かれ)の活躍(かつやく)の前(まえ)では他(ほか)の選手(せんしゅ)が翳(かす)んで見(み)える。

The other players pale in comparison to his performance.

あの大作(たいさく)の前(まえ)では、私(わたし)の作品(さくひん)など翳(かす)んでしまう。

My work is completely overshadowed by that masterpiece.

スターの登場(とうじょう)で周(まわ)りの人(ひと)たちが翳(かす)んでしまった。

Everyone around faded into the background when the star appeared.

翳(かす)む describes something becoming unclear or less visible, whether physically (mist, vision) or figuratively (being overshadowed).

Writing

The kanji 翳(かす) is relatively uncommon and often written in hiragana as かすむ
Related to 霞(かすみ) (haze, mist)

Common patterns

目(め)が翳(かす)む (eyes become blurry)
景色(けしき)が翳(かす)む (scenery becomes hazy)
〜の前(まえ)で翳(かす)む (to pale in comparison to ~)

Verb type: Intransitive (自動詞)

Conjugation: godan verb ending in む

Cultural note

春(はる)がすみ (spring haze) is a seasonal word (季語(きご)) in haiku
Associated with the soft, hazy atmosphere of spring in Japan

Related words

霞(かすみ) (haze, mist - noun)
霞(かす)む (to be hazy - alternate spelling)
ぼやける (to become blurred)
曇(くも)る (to become cloudy)

Related Words

Related: 霞(かすみ) (haze, mist)

Homophone: 霞(かす)む (to be hazy)

Related: ぼやける (to become blurred)

Related: 曇(くも)る (to become cloudy)

general

Added 2026.1.25 8:46 · Revised 2026.10.6 15:22

07500/07982_kasumu