踏む
fumu[ɸɯ̟mɯ̟]
To step on something in Japanese is 踏む (fumu).
The verb 踏む is used for the physical act of placing your foot on an object and applying pressure, such as to tread. It is also used metaphorically to describe the act of treading a path or stepping on a line or boundary.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you stepped on something accidentally or as a regrettable mistake, you can add the auxiliary verb しまう to the te-form of the verb, resulting in 踏んでしまう. The contracted, informal version of this is 踏んじゃった. To express the passive sense of 'to have something stepped on', use the form 踏まれる. This focuses on the object being stepped on, often implying the object was victimized or damaged. If you want to say 'to make sure not to step on' something, use 踏まないようにする.
How do you pronounce it?
fumu
Did you know?
- The word 踏む appears in the term 踏み絵, which refers to the 'fumie' images that Japanese converts were forced to step on during the Edo period to prove they had renounced Christianity.
- Japanese people often use the phrase 踏んだり蹴ったり (fundari kettari), which literally means 'stepping and kicking,' to describe a situation where someone is hit with one misfortune after another.
- In certain martial arts contexts, the term 踏み込む (fumi-komu) describes a powerful step forward into an opponent's space to initiate an attack.
Examples in context
- 悪い虫を 踏みつけて (Fumitsukete) 駆除した。I stepped on and exterminated the harmful insect.
- 犬のしっぽを 踏んじゃった (Funjatta) 。I accidentally stepped on the dog's tail.
- 石があるから 足元をよく見ろ (Ashimoto o yoku miro) 。There are stones, so watch your step.
- 花壇の花を 踏まないようにする (Fumanai yō ni suru) 。I'll make sure not to step on the flowers in the flowerbed.
- 足の裏で踏むTo step on with the sole of the foot
- 落ち葉を踏む。ochiba o fumu.To step on fallen leaves.
- ここは、踏むと音が鳴る床です。koko wa, fumu to oto ga naru yuka desu.This is a floor that makes a sound when you step on it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 踏む, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
