かわいがる
かわいがる
godan verb
to love, to be affectionate toward; to dote on
1.
to love, to be affectionate toward, to cherish, to dote on
To show love and affection toward someone or something, especially children, pets, or those younger or smaller. Implies active, visible expressions of fondness such as petting, holding, or giving attention.
猫をかわいがる。
To be affectionate toward a cat.
祖父は孫をとてもかわいがっている。
My grandfather dotes on his grandchildren.
子供の頃、近所の犬をかわいがっていた。
When I was a child, I used to pet and play with the neighborhood dog.
かわいがる is derived from かわいい (cute, lovable) + がる (to show signs of). It describes actively showing affection, not just feeling it internally.
CONJUGATION:
Godan verb (る-ending, ら行).
- Negative: かわいがらない
- Polite: かわいがります
- Te-form: かわいがって
- Past: かわいがった
- Passive: かわいがられる
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 子供をかわいがる: to dote on a child
- 犬をかわいがる: to be affectionate toward a dog
- 孫をかわいがる: to dote on grandchildren
- かわいがられる: to be loved/favored (passive)