1.
to become hazy; to mist over; to blur
For scenery, vision, or images to become unclear or blurred due to mist, distance, tears, or other factors.
山が霞んで見える。
The mountains look hazy.
涙で目が霞んだ。
My eyes blurred with tears.
春霞で遠くの景色がぼんやりと霞んでいた。
The distant scenery was faintly hazy with spring mist.
2.
to be overshadowed; to pale in comparison
For something to seem insignificant or less impressive when compared to something else.
彼女の演技の前では他の出演者が霞んでしまう。
The other performers pale in comparison to her acting.
あの新人の活躍はベテランの実績さえ霞ませるほどだった。
That newcomer's performance was enough to overshadow even the veteran's track record.
富士山の美しさの前には他のどの山も霞んで見える。
Before the beauty of Mt. Fuji, every other mountain pales in comparison.
An intransitive godan verb. Sense 1 (hazy) is used both for physical scenes (mountains, landscapes) and for vision (eyes blurring). Sense 2 (overshadowed) is a common figurative extension.
ASPECT (ている):
霞んでいる describes a current state of being hazy or blurred.
PARTICLE PATTERNS:
- ～が霞む (something becomes hazy / is overshadowed)
- ～の前では霞む (pales before ~)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 目が霞む (eyes blur)
- 景色が霞む (scenery becomes hazy)
- 霞んで見える (looks hazy)
RELATED WORD:
- 霞 (noun form) means haze or mist