腫れます（はれます、haremasu）
- to swell

The Japanese verb 腫れます, pronounced はれます (haremasu) in its polite form, means "to swell" or "to become swollen." It describes the physical condition of a body part increasing in size due to inflammation, injury, or other causes. This word typically refers to swelling caused by some sort of ailment or physical condition. It is a common word used in medical or health-related contexts. The verb 腫れる itself is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object.

⚫︎ 足が腫れています。 Translation: My leg is swollen. ⚫︎ 虫に刺されて、腕が腫れました。 Translation: My arm swelled up after being bitten by an insect. ⚫︎ 昨日転んで、膝が腫れました。 Translation: My knee swelled up after I fell yesterday.

⚫︎ Use 腫れます when describing a body part that has become swollen. ⚫︎ It is often used in conversations about health, injuries, or medical conditions. ⚫︎ It is suitable for both formal and informal conversations, though the level of politeness can be adjusted through the verb conjugation (e.g., 腫れました(haremashita), 腫れていました(harete imashita), etc.).

⚫︎ The base form of the verb is 腫れる (hareru). ⚫︎ In polite form (masu-form), it becomes 腫れます (haremasu). ⚫︎ Typically written using the kanji 腫, which means "to swell," and the hiragana れる (reru) for the verb ending. ⚫︎ The okurigana (hiragana attached to the kanji) is れる (reru).

⚫︎ むくみます (mukumimasu) - to become edematous; to swell (more generally, often implying fluid retention) ⚫︎ 膨らみます (fukuramimasu) - to swell; to bulge (often used to describe something inflating or expanding)

⚫︎ There isn't a single direct antonym. However, words like "to shrink" or "to deflate" can be considered antonyms in context, but they are not direct opposites of 腫れます. Consider words like: ⚫︎ ひきます (hikimasu) - to subside; to go down (as in swelling going down)

怪我をして、足がひどく腫れてしまいました。 ・Translation: I injured myself, and my leg has become badly swollen. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the result of an injury, showing that the leg is now swollen.

熱があって、顔が少し腫れています。 ・Translation: I have a fever, and my face is a little swollen. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a physical symptom (swelling of the face) associated with having a fever.

The kanji 腫 (shu) originally meant "tumor" or "swelling". The verb 腫れる (hareru) likely evolved to describe the action or state of becoming swollen. Its origin is linked to the physical sensation of a body part expanding in size due to some underlying cause, such as an injury or illness. The word has ancient roots.