〜ぶる (~buru) — act as if / put on airs of
Not really like that, but acting grand, refined or good — a word with a sneer in it.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- A 先輩 is all sweetness in front of the 店長 and dodges work behind his back — you tell a friend 「あの先輩、店長の前ではいい子ぶるけど、裏では文句ばかりだ」(that senior plays the good kid in front of the manager but does nothing but complain behind his back).
- It is spoken language, not for a formal email.
Meaning
- 「〜ぶる」= pretending a character — you are not really like that, yet you try to look grand, refined, good or grown-up.
- It always carries the speaker's irritation or mockery.
How to attach
- A noun as it is (大人ぶる・優等生ぶる・悪者ぶる・金持ちぶる)
- A な-adjective as it is (上品ぶる)
- An い-adjective minus 「い」(偉い→偉ぶる)
- 「ぶる」conjugates like a Group 1 verb: ぶらない・ぶって・ぶった
- Before a noun 「〜ぶった N」: 「偉ぶった人」(a person who puts on airs); 「偉ぶらない」= does not put on airs (praise).
Versus what you know
- N3You learned 「〜ふりをする」— 「知らないふりをする」「寝たふりをする」: pretending to do or not do something. 「ふりをする」attaches to any verb or noun and is neutral; 「ぶる」goes only with a small set of words and is always criticism.
- Do not confuse it with 「大人らしい」(genuinely grown-up, praise) or 「大人っぽい」(looks grown-up, plain description) — 「大人ぶる」= not an adult, trying to act like one, and it annoys me.
Watch out
- Only with 'character' words like 優等生・悪者・大人・上品・いい子・偉い・お嬢様.
- 「寝ぶる」「知らないぶる」do not exist — that is 「ふり」territory.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
弟は日本に来てから、急に大人ぶって、私の話を聞かなくなった。
おとうとはにほんにきてから、きゅうにおとなぶって、わたしのはなしをきかなくなった。
Since coming to Japan, my little brother has suddenly started acting all grown-up and has stopped listening to me.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 大人 = adult (N) → we attach 「ぶる」 directly to the N → て-form, like G1: ぶって → then the result: 話を聞かなくなった — you can hear the speaker's annoyance.
あの先輩は店長の前ではいい子ぶるけど、裏では文句ばかり言っている。
あのせんぱいはてんちょうのまえではいいこぶるけど、うらではもんくばかりいっている。
That senior plays the good kid in front of the manager, but behind the scenes does nothing but complain.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) いい子 = a good kid (N) → we attach 「ぶる」 = not real, an act → 「けど」 links the opposite: 裏では文句ばかり — a critical tone.
社長なのに、少しも偉ぶったところがない人だ。
しゃちょうなのに、すこしもえらぶったところがないひとだ。
Even though they're the company president, they don't put on airs in the slightest.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 偉い = important, great → take off 「い」: 偉 → 「ぶる」 → た-form 「ぶった」 before a noun → ところがない = has no such side — negated here, so it becomes praise.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「彼は人前では＿ぶっているが、家では子どもみたいだ。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: What happens to the な of a な-adjective?
Drop the な and add ぶる: 上品 → 上品ぶる. 上品ぶっている = acting refined.
Which sentence is wrong?
💡 Hint: ぶる is for character only; pretending an action?
ぶる only takes character words like 大人・上品・偉い・いい子. Pretending to sleep is 「寝たふりをした」; 「寝ぶる」✗.
'Not really an adult, just acting it — and it annoys me' — which form says that?
💡 Hint: Which one has criticism in it?
大人ぶる = pretence plus criticism. 大人らしい = genuinely adult-like (praise), 大人っぽい = looks adult (description), 大人になる = become an adult.
Your score: /3