〜めく (~meku) — to show signs of ~ / to take on a ~ feel
When the feel of something starts to show by itself — 春めく, 謎めいた.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
At the end of February, walking to the station in the morning, the air feels a little softer and the sun is warm. Your Japanese neighbour says 「だいぶ春めいてきましたね」— 'it's really starting to feel like spring.'
Meaning
「〜めく」says something has not fully become N, but the colour, sign or feel of N is starting to show by itself.
How to attach
Attach it as N + めく, and it conjugates like 「書く」: 春めいてきた (gradually became so), 皮肉めいた言葉 (「めいた」before a noun).
Versus what you know
- N3「〜らしい」(春らしい天気) says 'truly spring-like, full of spring qualities'; 「〜めく」is 'a hint of it is starting to show' — softer and more literary.
- N2It is not the 「〜ぶる」(偉ぶる) either, which is putting on a show on purpose; here the feel appears by itself.
Watch out
The key rule: it only joins a small set of nouns — seasons (春・秋) and words for a tone of speech or behaviour such as 謎・皮肉・冗談・言い訳・秘密. It does not attach to adjectives (✗便利めく).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
三月に入って、日差しがすっかり春めいてきた。
さんがつにはいって、ひざしがすっかりはるめいてきた。
Now that it's March, the sunshine has really taken on a spring feel.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 日差し = sunshine → 春 = spring → we attach 「めく」 → て-form: 春めいて → 「きた」 says "it has gradually become like that".
部長は冗談めいた口調で、「来月から君がリーダーだ」と言った。
ぶちょうはじょうだんめいたくちょうで、「らいげつからきみがリーダーだ」といった。
In a half-joking tone, the manager said, "From next month, you're the leader."
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 冗談 = a joke → we attach 「めいた」 = with a touch of joking → the noun 口調 (tone of voice) comes after → the listener can't be sure whether it's really a joke.
上司の皮肉めいた一言に、少し傷ついた。
じょうしのひにくめいたひとことに、すこしきずついた。
I was a little hurt by my boss's remark, which sounded somewhat sarcastic.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 皮肉 = sarcasm, a dig → 「めいた」= with a touch of sarcasm → 一言 (one remark) → 「に」 → 傷ついた = I was hurt.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「彼のメールには、どこか謎＿＿ところがあった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: A noun (ところ) follows — which form?
N + めいた + N. 謎めいたところ = something mysterious about it. 「めいて」needs a verb after it; 「めきの」and 「めかし」don't work here.
In which sentence is 「めく」unnatural?
💡 Hint: What does めく attach to — a noun or an adjective?
めく only joins seasons and a few nouns like 謎・言い訳. 便利 is an adjective, so 「便利めく」doesn't exist.
'In March the air gradually started to feel like spring' — which is right?
💡 Hint: A hint that shows up by itself in nature.
春めく = signs of spring appear by themselves. 「ぶる」is a person putting on an act, 「まみれ」is being smeared with dirt, 「ずくめ」is nothing but one thing all around — none fits spring air.
Your score: /3