What is the difference between "吹く" and "拭く"?

"吹く" means "to blow; to play (a wind instrument)" (N4), whereas "拭く" represents "to wipe, to dry" (N4).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "ふく (fuku)"

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

Kanji Option A

ふく (fuku)

N4 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

ふく (fuku)

N4 / CEFR

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

吹く (Level: N4): Translates to "to blow; to play (a wind instrument)" and is used when Used for wind blowing, a person blowing air.
拭く (Level: N4): Maps to "to wipe, to dry" and carries the nuance of Transitive verb for cleaning or drying a surface with a cloth, paper, etc..

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

Bilingual Context for "吹く"

風が強く吹いています。

The wind is blowing strongly.

Bilingual Context for "拭く"

テーブルをきれいに拭いてください。

Please wipe the table clean.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "風が強く吹いています。" (Meaning: "The wind is blowing strongly.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "吹く" is used for "to blow; to play (a wind instrument)" in the context: "The wind is blowing strongly.".