JLPT N1 grammar

〜ぶるmeaning and usage

Meaning

Acts like A; pretends as if A

How to form it

  • nounぶる/ぶったnoun
  • い-adjective stem (without い)ぶる
  • な-adjective (stem)ぶる

How it is used

'Act as if one were A, put on airs of A' (「偉ぶる」, 「いい子ぶる」). Critical: someone shows off a status or quality they don't really have. More negative than the neutral 「〜ふりをする」.

Examples

  1. この子はお兄さんぶって妹になんでも注意するんです。

    This child acts like an older brother and will warn his younger sister about anything.

  2. 彼はいつも偉ぶって、人の意見を聞こうとしない。

    He's always putting on airs and won't listen to what others say.

  3. 上品ぶった話し方が、かえって不自然に聞こえる。

    That put-on genteel way of talking actually sounds unnatural.