(のぼ)

のぼる
verb
to go up; to amount to; to come up (as a topic)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present(のぼ)(のぼ)らない
Present polite(のぼ)ります(のぼ)りません
Past(のぼ)った(のぼ)らなかった
Past polite(のぼ)りました(のぼ)りませんでした
て form(のぼ)って(のぼ)らなくて
ている present(のぼ)っている(のぼ)っていない
ている polite(のぼ)っています(のぼ)っていません
ている past(のぼ)っていた(のぼ)っていなかった
ている past polite(のぼ)っていました(のぼ)っていませんでした
Conditional ば(のぼ)れば(のぼ)らなければ
Conditional たら(のぼ)ったら(のぼ)らなかったら
Volitional(のぼ)ろう
Volitional polite(のぼ)りましょう
Potential(のぼ)れる(のぼ)れない
Passive(のぼ)られる(のぼ)られない
Causative(のぼ)らせる(のぼ)らせない
Imperative(のぼ)(のぼ)るな
1. to go up, to rise, to ascend
For something to move upward or for a person to go to a higher place. Used more broadly than (のぼ)る (which focuses on climbing) — includes going upstream, traveling to the capital, or the sun rising.
階段(かいだん)(のぼ)る。
To go up the stairs.
(さか)(のぼ)ると神社(じんじゃ)()えてきた。
When we went up the slope, a shrine came into view.
(かわ)(のぼ)って上流(じょうりゅう)(むら)まで()った。
We went upstream to the village at the upper reaches of the river.
2. to amount to, to reach, to total
For a number, amount, or quantity to reach a specified level. Often used with large numbers to emphasize the scale.
被害額(ひがいがく)数億円(すうおくえん)(のぼ)る。
The damage amounts to several hundred million yen.
参加者(さんかしゃ)千人(せんにん)(のぼ)った。
The number of participants reached one thousand.
死者(ししゃ)(かず)百人(ひゃくにん)以上(いじょう)(のぼ)ると報告(ほうこく)されている。
It has been reported that the death toll has risen to over one hundred.
3. to come up (as a topic), to be raised, to be mentioned
For a topic, issue, or name to be brought up in discussion or conversation.
会議(かいぎ)話題(わだい)(のぼ)った。
It came up as a topic in the meeting.
(かれ)名前(なまえ)候補(こうほ)(のぼ)っている。
His name has come up as a candidate.
毎回(まいかい)会議(かいぎ)予算(よさん)問題(もんだい)議題(ぎだい)(のぼ)るが、なかなか結論(けつろん)()ない。
The budget issue comes up on the agenda at every meeting, but no conclusion is ever reached.

One of three common verbs read のぼる, each written with different kanji: (のぼ)る (general upward movement, amounts, topics), (のぼ)る (climbing mountains or heights), and (のぼ)る (rising of celestial bodies, promotion). In practice, (のぼ)る is the most versatile and can substitute for the others in many cases.

USAGE:
For sense 2 (amounting to), the pattern is 〜に(のぼ)る. For sense 3 (coming up as a topic), common patterns include 話題(わだい)(のぼ)る, 議題(ぎだい)(のぼ)る, and 候補(こうほ)(のぼ)る.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • (さか)(のぼ)る: to go up a slope
  • 階段(かいだん)(のぼ)る: to go up stairs
  • 〜に(のぼ)る: to amount to, to reach (a number)
  • 話題(わだい)(のぼ)る: to come up as a topic
  • 食卓(しょくたく)(のぼ)る: to appear on the dining table

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • (のぼ)る: to climb — specifically for climbing mountains, hills, or heights
  • (のぼ)る: to rise — for celestial bodies rising or career advancement
  • ()がる: to go up, to rise — intransitive; overlaps with some uses but has additional meanings like entering a house

Related Words