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

  • 人の真似

    imitating someone

    大人の真似

    imitating an adult, acting like an adult

    親の真似

    imitating a parent, acting like a parent

    先生の真似

    imitating a teacher, acting like a teacher

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