Meaning

Primary

Imitation

Alternatives

Mimicry, Impersonation

Word Type

noun, verbal noun

Explanation

You're taking reality and trying to resemble it. To do this, you have to do an imitation, mimicry, or an impersonation.

Reading

まね
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This word uses the kun'yomi reading for and an irregular reading for . You've already learned the reading for , but here's a mnemonic to help you with :

What are you doing an imitation of? A horse! You gallop around neighing () at the top of your lungs! That's a pretty good imitation.

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • 勝手な真似

    acting selfish

    ひきょうな真似

    acting like a coward, pulling a mean trick

    バカな真似

    acting like a fool

Context Sentences

四歳になる娘が、見るもの全てを真似するので困っています。

I am having trouble because my four-year-old daughter imitates everything she sees.

Kanji Composition