置く
oku[o̞kɯ̟]
The Japanese verb for 'lay' is 置く (oku).
置く is used when you place or put an object down on a surface, such as a table, a shelf or the floor.
Meaning: to place something down in a position of rest (verb)
Which one should you use?
置く is a transitive verb, which means it requires a direct object, the thing being placed, to complete a sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb has several forms: the past tense is 置いた (laid or placed), the negative form is 置かない (do not place or will not place) and the te-form is 置いて, which is used to connect actions or to request that someone place something.
How do you pronounce it?
oku
What mistakes should you avoid?
If you wish to express the act of placing or laying something down forcefully or heavily, use 押し付ける instead of 置く.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, 置く is used in the term 時間を置く to mean 'taking a break' or 'letting some time pass' before acting.
- In Japanese, you do not use 置く to 'lay' a person or an animal in a bed, as this can sound like you are placing an object or a piece of luggage. Instead, you would use 横たえる to describe laying a living being down.
- The verb 置く is also used in the phrase 置いてけぼり, which refers to leaving someone behind or being abandoned. While it literally means 'to leave behind as a placed object', it is used idiomatically for social abandonment.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Youta and Himari are organizing a room together.
- 陽太 Yotaこの花瓶はどこに置く？Kono kabin wa doko ni oku?Where should I lay this vase?
- 陽葵 Himariあそこの棚に置いて。Asoko no tana ni oite.Lay it on that shelf over there.
- 陽太 Yotaここに置いたほうがいいかな？Koko ni oita hou ga ii kana?I wonder if I should lay it here?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、いいと思うよ。Un, ii to omou yo.Yeah, I think that's good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lay” translations and entries 置く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
