What is the difference between "はがす" and "剥がす"?

"はがす" means "to peel off, to tear off, to strip off" (N2), whereas "剥がす" represents "to peel off, to strip off, to tear off" (N2).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "はがす (hagasu)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

はがす (hagasu)

N2 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

はがす (hagasu)

N2 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "はがす (hagasu)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

はがす (Level: N2): Translates to "to peel off, to tear off, to strip off" and is used when Used when detaching something that is stuck.
剥がす (Level: N2): Maps to "to peel off, to strip off, to tear off" and carries the nuance of Transitive verb. Used for removing something that is stuck or attached, like a sticker, plaster, or skin..

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "はがす"

壁に貼ってあったポスターをそっとはがした。

I gently peeled off the poster that was stuck on the wall.

Bilingual Context for "剥がす"

壁に貼った古いポスターを慎重に剥がした。

I carefully peeled off the old poster stuck on the wall.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "壁に貼ってあったポスターをそっとはがした。" (Meaning: "I gently peeled off the poster that was stuck on the wall.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "はがす" is used for "to peel off, to tear off, to strip off" in the context: "I gently peeled off the poster that was stuck on the wall.".