する

See also: ずる

Contents

JapaneseEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Old Japanese root verb す (su, “to do”).

As with all verbs, during the Middle Japanese stage in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, the 終止形 (shūshikei, “terminal or sentence-ending form”) was gradually lost as the 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) came to be used for both the attributive and terminal grammatical roles, realigning the conjugations.

Alternative formsEdit

• (rare) 為る

PronunciationEdit

• Kun’yomi
  • (Tokyo) する [sùrú] (Heiban – [0])
  • IPA^(key): [sɨᵝɾɯ̟ᵝ]

VerbEdit

する (transitive, irregular conjugation, rōmaji suru)

1. to do

   何 (なに)をしていますか。

   Nani o shite imasu ka.

   What are you doing?

2. to wear (accessories)

   ネクタイをする。

   Nekutai o suru.

   I wear a necktie.

3. (に～) to make into a certain state; to cause to become

   一人 (ひとり)にしないで

   hitori ni shinaide

   please don't leave me to be alone by myself

   部 (へ)屋 (や)を綺 (き)麗 (れい)にする

   heya o kirei ni suru

   to clean up one's room

4. (を～) to have; to make

   怖 (こわ)い目 (め)つきをする

   kowai metsuki o suru

   to have an intimidating glare

Usage notesEdit

The verb する (“to do”) is seldom written in kanji (為る).

It is common to use する after certain nouns to indicate that the noun is being done; this is highly productive, meaning many nouns can be used as verbs in this way. Some examples are:

• 勉強 (benkyō, “studying”) → 勉強する (benkyō suru, “to do studying” → “to study”)
• 旅行 (ryokō, “journey”) → 旅行する (ryokō suru, “to do journey” → “to travel”)

ConjugationEdit

Conjugation of "する" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)

Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	さ・し・せ*	sa shi se*
Continuative (連用形)	し	shi
Terminal (終止形)	する	suru
Attributive (連体形)	する	suru
Hypothetical (仮定形)	すれ	sure
Imperative (命令形)	せよ¹ しろ²	seyo¹ shiro²
Key constructions
Passive	される	sareru
Causative	させる さす	saseru sasu
Potential	できる	dekiru
Volitional	しよう	shiyō
Negative	しない	shinai
Negative continuative	せず	sezu
Formal	します	shimasu
Perfective	した	shita
Conjunctive	して	shite
Hypothetical conditional	すれば	sureba
* The sa- imperfective occurs in Kansai dialect and in certain set phrases, and forms the base of the passive and causative conjugations sareru, saseru, and sasu. The se- imperfective occurs in Classical Japanese and in other set phrases, and forms the base of the negative continuative conjugation sezu. The shi- imperfective is most common in Tokyo-standard everyday modern Japanese for forming the base of the negative conjugation shinai. ¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative

SynonymsEdit

• (to do): 成 (な)す, 為 (な)す (nasu) (somewhat archaic, usage is more limited)
• (to do): 行 (おこな)う (okonau, “to carry out”)
• (used to make a verb): 〜る (-ru), a much less productive suffix for turning a noun into a verb

See alsoEdit

• す (su)

Etymology 2Edit

Reading for various kanji spellings.

VerbEdit

する (rōmaji suru)

Various verbs deriving from senses similar to “to slide” or “to rub”:

1. 刷る, 摺る: to print something (from the way the paper would be placed on the printing block and rubbed)
2. 掏る: to pick someone's pocket (possibly from the way a pickpocket must slide along unnoticed; compare English slick)
3. 擦る, 摩る, 磨る, 擂る: to slide, to rub, to chafe, to strike (as in a match, by rubbing); to lose or waste money
4. 剃る: irregular reading for 剃る (soru, “to shave”)

ReferencesEdit