真似(まね)る

まねる
verb (ichidan)
to imitate, to mimic, to copy
1. to imitate, to mimic, to copy
To reproduce someone's actions, speech, or style, either to learn from them or for amusement.
先生(せんせい)の動(うご)きを真似(まね)る。
To imitate the teacher's movements.
子供(こども)は親(おや)の言葉(ことば)を真似(まね)て覚(おぼ)える。
Children learn by imitating their parents' words.
彼(かれ)は有名(ゆうめい)な画家(がか)の作風(さくふう)を真似(まね)て自分(じぶん)のスタイルを作(つく)り上(あ)げた。
He developed his own style by imitating the techniques of a famous painter.

CONJUGATION (ichidan):

  • Negative: 真似(まね)ない
  • Te-form: 真似(まね)て
  • Past: 真似(まね)た
  • Potential: 真似(まね)られる

TRANSITIVITY:
Transitive. Takes を for the thing being imitated.

RELATED WORDS:

  • 真似(まね) (noun): imitation, mimicry
  • 真似(まね)をする: to imitate (noun + する construction, more common in casual speech)
  • 物真似(ものまね): impersonation, mimicry (as entertainment)

USAGE:
真似(まね)る can be neutral (learning through imitation) or negative (copying without originality). Context determines the nuance. The noun + する form 真似(まね)をする is often more natural in everyday conversation.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 動(うご)きを真似(まね)る: to copy movements
  • 声(こえ)を真似(まね)る: to mimic a voice
  • 人(ひと)の真似(まね)をする: to imitate someone
general
Added 2026.2.8 13:46
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