光ります（ひかります、hikarimasu）
- to shine

The Japanese word 光ります, read ひかります (hikakarimasu), means "to shine," "to gleam," "to sparkle," or "to be illuminated." It describes something emitting light, either reflecting light or producing light of its own. It implies a visual effect of brightness or luminescence. The meaning can vary slightly based on context, encompassing anything from a gentle glow to a bright flash. The word typically implies a sustained or repeated shining action rather than a momentary burst. The state of shining or the action of shining is important.

⚫︎ 星が光ります。 Translation: The stars shine. ⚫︎ 電球が光ります。 Translation: The lightbulb shines. ⚫︎ 彼女の笑顔が光っていました。 Translation: Her smile was shining.

⚫︎ You use 光ります when you want to describe something emitting light. ⚫︎ It's applicable for both natural phenomena (like the sun) and artificial sources (like lamps). ⚫︎ The tense (past, present, future) will change the conjugation of the verb. For example, 光った(hikatta) means "shone" and 光る(hikaru) is the plain form and means to shine. ⚫︎ It is important to emphasize that the object is in a state of shining or that an action of shining occurs.

⚫︎ Typically written in hiragana as ひかります. ⚫︎ The kanji is 光ります. ⚫︎ The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is always "ります" (rimasu).

⚫︎ 輝きます (kagayakimasu): To shine, to sparkle, to glitter (often implying a brilliant or dazzling shine). ⚫︎ 照ります (terimasu): To shine, to illuminate (implies the light is casting on a surface). ⚫︎ きらめきます (kiramekimasu): To sparkle, to twinkle.

⚫︎ 暗くなります (kura kunarimasu): To become dark. ⚫︎ 消えます (kieimasu): To disappear (referring to the light).

月が夜空に光っています。 ・Translation: The moon is shining in the night sky. ・Explanation: The sentence describes the moon's state of emitting light. The verb is in the -te form 光って (hikatte) indicating the action of shining is occurring.

宝石が光り輝いていました。 ・Translation: The jewel was shining and glittering. ・Explanation: The sentence illustrates the gem's luminous quality. The -ri form of 光り is used to connect to the next verb.

The etymology of 光ります comes from the verb 光る(hikaru) which means to shine or to emit light. The suffix "-masu" is a polite verb ending, changing 光る into 光ります which creates the polite form. The kanji 光 (hikari) means "light."