What is the difference between "降る" and "振る"?

"降る" means "to fall (rain, snow)" (N5), whereas "振る" represents "to wave, to shake, to sprinkle" (N3).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "ふる (furu)"

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

Kanji Option A

ふる (furu)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

ふる (furu)

N3 / CEFR

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

降る (Level: N5): Translates to "to fall (rain, snow)" and is used when Intransitive verb. Specifically used for precipitation like rain.
振る (Level: N3): Maps to "to wave, to shake, to sprinkle" and carries the nuance of Has various meanings: to wave.

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

Bilingual Context for "降る"

今日は雨が降っています。

It's raining today.

Bilingual Context for "振る"

友達に手を振って別れた。

I waved my hand to my friend and said goodbye.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "今日は雨が降っています。" (Meaning: "It's raining today.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "降る" is used for "to fall (rain, snow)" in the context: "It's raining today.".