When you want to express the action of looking upwards at something, the Japanese verb is 見上げる (miageru). This verb combines the kanji for "to see" (見) and "to raise/up" (上), literally meaning "to look up."
You use 見上げる when you're observing something above you, like looking up at the sky, a tall building, or even a person who is taller than you.
When you look up at something, you use the verb 見上げる (miageru). This verb literally combines 見る (miru, to see) and 上げる (ageru, to raise or lift), so it directly translates to “to raise one’s gaze” or “to look upwards.”
It’s often used for things that are physically above you, like a tall building, the sky, or someone taller than you. You might also use it for things that inspire awe or respect, such as looking up at a hero or a mountain.
You’ll hear this frequently in daily conversation, so it’s a good one to remember. Pay attention to the context to understand why someone is looking up.
Hey everyone! Let's talk about a useful Japanese verb: 見上げる (miageru). It means 'to look up at' something or someone. It's a pretty straightforward word, but knowing how and when to use it will really help you sound more natural.
- Japanese Word
- 見上げる (miageru)
- Definition
- To look up at.
- CEFR Level
- B1
§ Where you actually hear this word — work, school, news
You'll find 見上げる used in many everyday situations. Think about anything that makes you tilt your head back to see it. It's not just about physical height; it can also imply respect or admiration when looking at a person.
Let's dive into some common scenarios where you'd hear or use 見上げる.
§ At Work or School
In a professional or academic setting, you might use 見上げる when observing something tall or complex, or when referring to looking up to a mentor or senior.
彼は空にそびえる高層ビルを見上げた。(Kare wa sora ni sobieru kōsō biru o miageta.)
- 彼 (kare): he
- 空 (sora): sky
- に (ni): in/to
- そびえる (sobieru): to tower over
- 高層ビル (kōsō biru): skyscraper
- を (o): direct object particle
- 見上げた (miageta): looked up at (past tense of 見上げる)
Hint: He looked up at the skyscraper towering in the sky.
学生たちは先生の顔を見上げて、説明を聞いた。(Gakusei-tachi wa sensei no kao o miagete, setsumei o kiita.)
- 学生たち (gakusei-tachi): students
- 先生 (sensei): teacher
- の (no): possessive particle
- 顔 (kao): face
- を (o): direct object particle
- 見上げて (miagete): looking up at (te-form of 見上げる, connecting to the next action)
- 説明 (setsumei): explanation
- を聞いた (o kiita): listened to
Hint: The students looked up at the teacher's face and listened to the explanation.
§ In the News or General Context
News reports often use 見上げる when describing events involving looking at things like fireworks, celestial bodies, or large structures.
人々は夜空に打ち上げられた花火を見上げた。(Hitobito wa yozora ni uchiagerareta hanabi o miageta.)
- 人々 (hitobito): people
- 夜空 (yozora): night sky
- に (ni): in/to
- 打ち上げられた (uchiagerareta): launched/fired up
- 花火 (hanabi): fireworks
- を (o): direct object particle
- 見上げた (miageta): looked up at
Hint: People looked up at the fireworks launched into the night sky.
彼女は塔の先端を見上げた。(Kanojo wa tō no sentan o miageta.)
- 彼女 (kanojo): she
- 塔 (tō): tower
- の (no): possessive particle
- 先端 (sentan): tip/peak
- を (o): direct object particle
- 見上げた (miageta): looked up at
Hint: She looked up at the tip of the tower.
§ Daily Life and Conversations
In casual conversations, 見上げる is perfect for describing simple actions like looking at a ceiling, a tall person, or a bird in the sky.
彼は鳥が飛んでいる空を見上げた。(Kare wa tori ga tonde iru sora o miageta.)
- 彼 (kare): he
- 鳥 (tori): bird
- が (ga): subject particle
- 飛んでいる (tonde iru): is flying
- 空 (sora): sky
- を (o): direct object particle
- 見上げた (miageta): looked up at
Hint: He looked up at the sky where a bird was flying.
見上げる is a straightforward verb that you'll hear often. Just remember it's about looking upwards, whether literally or with a sense of admiration. Keep practicing these examples, and you'll get the hang of it in no time!
How Formal Is It?
"空を**見上げる**と、美しい星々が見えました。 (Sora o miageru to, utsukushii hoshigamiemashita.) - Looking up at the sky, I saw beautiful stars."
"彼は東京タワーを**見上げた**。 (Kare wa Tōkyō Tawā o miageta.) - He looked up at Tokyo Tower."
"上を**見上げて**ごらん。 (Ue o miagete goran.) - Look up."
"大きい木を**見上げた**よ！ (Ōkii ki o miageta yo!) - I looked up at the big tree!"
"まじで、あのビル**見上げたら**首痛くなったわ。 (Maji de, ano biru miagetara kubi itaku natta wa.) - Seriously, looking up at that building made my neck hurt."
Wichtige Grammatik
見上げる is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object. The object of "looking up at" is marked with the particle を (o).
空を見上げる (Sora o miageru) - To look up at the sky.
It can be used to describe looking up at something physically, like a tall building or the sky.
彼は高いビルを見上げた (Kare wa takai biru o miageta) - He looked up at the tall building.
見上げる can also be used figuratively to express looking up to someone with respect or admiration.
彼は先生を見上げるような目で見た (Kare wa sensei o miageru yō na me de mita) - He looked at his teacher with eyes full of admiration.
When expressing the direction of looking up, you can use 上に (ue ni) or 空に (sora ni) as locative particles, but 見上げる already implies an upward gaze, so it's often redundant.
上を見上げる (Ue o miageru) - To look upwards (literally, but often just 見上げる is enough).
The polite form is 見上げます (miagemasu) and the past tense is 見上げた (miageta).
彼女は星を見上げました (Kanojo wa hoshi o miagemashita) - She looked up at the stars.
Beispiele nach Niveau
空を見上げると、星がたくさん見えました。
When I looked up at the sky, I saw many stars.
彼は大きなビルを見上げた。
He looked up at the big building.
子供は母親の顔を見上げた。
The child looked up at their mother's face.
塔の頂上を見上げるのは大変だった。
It was hard to look up at the top of the tower.
彼女は感動して空を見上げた。
She looked up at the sky, moved.
私を見上げないで、前を見て歩きなさい。
Don't look up at me, look ahead and walk.
歴史的な彫刻を見上げて、その美しさに感動した。
Looking up at the historical sculpture, I was moved by its beauty.
飛行機が上を飛んでいるので、みんなで空を見上げた。
Since a plane was flying above, everyone looked up at the sky.
子供たちは空に打ち上げられた花火を見上げた。
The children looked up at the fireworks launched into the sky.
彼は大きなビルを見上げて、その高さに驚いた。
He looked up at the large building and was surprised by its height.
彼女は尊敬する先生の顔を見上げた。
She looked up at her respected teacher's face.
鳥が木の上で歌うのを聞いて、私たちはその方向を見上げた。
Hearing a bird sing in the tree, we looked up in that direction.
星が輝く夜空を見上げると、心が落ち着く。
Looking up at the starry night sky calms the mind.
小さな犬は、飼い主の顔を見上げてしっぽを振った。
The small dog looked up at its owner's face and wagged its tail.
山の頂上を見上げると、まだ遠い道のりだと感じた。
Looking up at the mountain peak, I felt it was still a long way to go.
美術館で巨大な彫刻を見上げ、その迫力に圧倒された。
At the museum, I looked up at the giant sculpture and was overwhelmed by its power.
子供たちは空に打ち上げられた花火を見上げて歓声を上げた。
Children looked up at the fireworks launched into the sky and cheered.
Verb-て form + 歓声を上げた (raised cheers). 見上げる (to look up) is used to describe the action of looking upwards at something impressive or high.
彼女は高層ビルを見上げ、その巨大さに息をのんだ。
She looked up at the skyscraper and gasped at its enormity.
Verb-て form + 息をのんだ (gasped). 見上げる is used for looking at tall structures.
私は故郷の山々を見上げると、いつも心が安らぎます。
Whenever I look up at the mountains of my hometown, my heart always feels at peace.
Verb-ると (whenever/if) + 心が安らぎます (my heart feels at peace). 見上げる here conveys a sense of contemplation or admiration.
彼は師匠の教えを胸に刻み、尊敬の念で見上げていた。
He engraved his master's teachings in his heart and looked up to him with respect.
Verb-て form + 尊敬の念で見上げていた (was looking up with respect). 見上げる can also imply looking up to someone with admiration or respect.
夜空を見上げると、満点の星が輝いていた。
When I looked up at the night sky, a sky full of stars was shining.
Verb-ると (when/if) + 輝いていた (was shining). 見上げる is commonly used for observing the sky.
美術館で巨大な彫刻を見上げ、その迫力に圧倒された。
At the museum, I looked up at the giant sculpture and was overwhelmed by its power.
Verb-て form + 圧倒された (was overwhelmed). 見上げる emphasizes the scale of the object.
彼女は希望に満ちた目で未来を見上げた。
She looked up at the future with eyes full of hope.
Verb-て form + 未来を見上げた (looked up at the future). This is a more metaphorical usage, indicating a hopeful outlook.
試合後、敗者は勝者の旗を見上げて、悔しさをかみしめた。
After the game, the losers looked up at the winner's flag and savored their regret.
Verb-て form + 悔しさをかみしめた (savored their regret). Here, 見上げる can convey a feeling of acknowledging the victor.
子供たちは花火を見上げて歓声をあげた。
The children cheered as they looked up at the fireworks.
彼は空高くそびえる塔を見上げて、その壮大さに息をのんだ。
He looked up at the towering spire and gasped at its grandeur.
彼女は故郷の星空を見上げて、遠い昔を思い出していた。
She gazed up at the starry sky of her hometown, reminiscing about the distant past.
登山家は険しい山頂を見上げ、決意を新たにした。
The mountaineer looked up at the rugged peak, renewing his determination.
私たちはプラネタリウムで満天の星を見上げて、宇宙の広大さに感動した。
We looked up at the starry sky in the planetarium and were moved by the vastness of the universe.
その少年は、憧れの先輩を見上げて、いつか自分もあんな風になりたいと思った。
The boy looked up at his admired senior and wished to be like him someday.
美術館の天井画を見上げると、その精巧さに圧倒される。
Looking up at the ceiling painting in the museum, one is overwhelmed by its intricacy.
彼は巨大なビルを見上げて、自分の存在の小ささを感じた。
He looked up at the giant building and felt the insignificance of his own existence.
Wortfamilie
Substantive
Verben
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Looking up at a tall building or structure.
- 高いビルを見上げる (Look up at a tall building)
- スカイツリーを見上げた (I looked up at the Skytree)
- 見上げると、空がとても広かった (Looking up, the sky was very wide)
Looking up at the sky, stars, or moon.
- 夜空を見上げる (Look up at the night sky)
- 星を見上げる (Look up at the stars)
- 月を見上げる (Look up at the moon)
Looking up at a person who is taller or in a higher position.
- 先生を見上げる (Look up at the teacher)
- 彼を見上げる (Look up at him)
- 見上げて話す (Talk while looking up)
Looking up at something that is impressive or inspiring.
- 彼の勇気を見上げた (I looked up to his courage)
- 偉大な芸術作品を見上げる (Look up at a great work of art)
- 彼の努力を見上げた (I admired his efforts)
Looking up from a book or work.
- 本から顔を見上げる (Look up from a book)
- 作業中に見上げる (Look up while working)
- ふと見上げる (Suddenly look up)
Gesprächseinstiege
"最近、何か見上げて感動したことはありますか？ (Have you recently looked up at something and been moved?)"
"夜空を見上げるのは好きですか？どんな時に見上げますか？ (Do you like looking up at the night sky? When do you look up?)"
"東京スカイツリーのような高い建物を見上げたことがありますか？その時どう感じましたか？ (Have you ever looked up at a tall building like the Tokyo Skytree? How did you feel then?)"
"子供の頃、何かを見上げて「すごい！」と思ったことはありますか？ (When you were a child, was there anything you looked up at and thought, 'Wow!'?)"
"もしあなたが鳥だったら、毎日何を見上げると思いますか？ (If you were a bird, what do you think you would look up at every day?)"
Tagebuch-Impulse
今日、あなたが「見上げる」という行為を通して何か新しい発見をした瞬間を書き出してみましょう。 (Write about a moment today when you made a new discovery through the act of 'looking up'.)
もし空に何かメッセージが書かれていたら、あなたは何を見上げたいですか？そのメッセージはどんな内容だと思いますか？ (If there was a message written in the sky, what would you want to look up at? What do you think the message would say?)
あなたが尊敬する人や、目標としている人を「見上げる」と表現するなら、どんな気持ちになりますか？その理由も書いてみましょう。 (If you were to describe looking up to someone you respect or aspire to be like, how would you feel? Write about the reasons too.)
普段、どれくらい空を見上げる時間がありますか？もっと空を見上げることで、あなたの日常にどんな変化があると思いますか？ (How much time do you usually spend looking up at the sky? What changes do you think would occur in your daily life if you looked up at the sky more?)
過去の記憶をたどって、あなたが特に印象的に「見上げた」出来事を一つ選び、その時の情景や感情を詳しく描写してみましょう。 (Go back through your memories and choose one particularly impressive event where you 'looked up', and describe the scene and your feelings in detail.)
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 Fragen見上げる (miageru) specifically means to look up at something. Think of it as '見 (mi - see) + 上げる (ageru - raise/lift up)'. So, while you '見る' a book on a table, you would '見上げる' a tall building or the stars in the sky. It implies an upward gaze.
No, you wouldn't use 見上げる (miageru) for that. 見上げる is for physically looking upwards. For looking up information, you'd typically use verbs like 調べる (shiraberu - to look up/investigate) or just 見る (miru - to see) depending on the context.
見上げる (miageru) itself isn't particularly impolite or informal. However, if you're talking about looking up at someone of higher status, you might use more general polite expressions around the sentence, but the verb itself is fine. There isn't a direct honorific or humble form specifically for 見上げる that changes its meaning significantly.
The direct opposite of 見上げる (miageru - to look up at) is 見下ろす (miorosu - to look down at). It follows the same pattern: 見 (mi - see) + 下ろす (orosu - lower/let down).
Not necessarily. While you might 見上げる (miageru) a majestic mountain with awe, you could also 見上げる a simple clock on a wall, or a person taller than you, without any particular emotional attachment. It simply describes the action of looking upwards.
Yes, absolutely. If someone is taller than you, you would 見上げる (miageru) them to make eye contact.
Example: 彼は私より背が高いので、いつも彼を見上げる。(Kare wa watashi yori segatakai node, itsumo kare o miageru. - He is taller than me, so I always look up at him.)
見上げる (miageru) is a regular る-verb (ichidan verb).
- Present/Future: 見上げる (miageru) - I look up/will look up
- Past: 見上げた (miageta) - I looked up
- Negative: 見上げない (miagenai) - I don't look up/won't look up
- Te-form: 見上げて (miagete) - (used for connecting clauses or requests)
It's primarily used literally to describe the physical act of looking upwards. While you might 'look up to' someone in English as a sign of respect, in Japanese, you'd use different expressions like 尊敬する (sonkei suru - to respect) or 憧れる (akogareru - to admire/look up to) for the metaphorical sense.
Sure!
Example: 空を見上げると、美しい星が見えた。(Sora o miageru to, utsukushii hoshi ga mieta. - When I looked up at the sky, I saw beautiful stars.)
上を見る (ue o miru) literally means 'to see the top' or 'to look up (generally)'. It's more general. 見上げる (miageru) has the nuance of directing your gaze upwards at a specific object or direction. So, while '上を見る' might be just glancing upwards, '見上げる' implies a more focused or deliberate action of looking up at something specific.
Teste dich selbst 42 Fragen
空を見上げます。What am I doing?
見上げる (miageru) means to look up at. 空 (sora) means sky. So, 空を見上げます means 'I look up at the sky.'
彼女は木を見上げます。What is she looking at?
見上げる (miageru) means to look up at. 木 (ki) means tree. So, 彼女は木を見上げます means 'She looks up at a tree.'
あなたが星を見上げる時、何が見えますか？When you look up at the stars, what do you see?
見上げる (miageru) means to look up at. 星 (hoshi) means stars. So, あなたが星を見上げる時、何が見えますか？ means 'When you look up at the stars, what do you see?'
ビルを見上げる時、あなたは下を見ます。When you look up at a building, you look down.
見上げる (miageru) means to look up at. ビル (biru) means building. So, ビルを見上げる時、あなたは下を見ます means 'When you look up at a building, you look down,' which is false because 'to look up' means to look upwards, not downwards.
天井を見上げることは、上を見ることです。To look up at the ceiling is to look up.
見上げる (miageru) means to look up at. 天井 (tenjō) means ceiling. So, 天井を見上げることは、上を見ることです means 'To look up at the ceiling is to look up,' which is true.
あなたが床を見上げる時、空を見ます。When you look up at the floor, you see the sky.
見上げる (miageru) means to look up at. 床 (yuka) means floor. 空 (sora) means sky. So, あなたが床を見上げる時、空を見ます means 'When you look up at the floor, you see the sky,' which is false because you look down at the floor, and the sky is not visible there.
空を見上げるのが好きです。
見上げる (miageru) means 'to look up at'.
彼女はいつも星を見上げています。
見上げる (miageru) means 'to look up at'.
ビルを見上げたら、とても高かった。
見上げる (miageru) means 'to look up at'.
猫が空を見上げています。 (A cat is looking up at the sky.)
The sentence translates to 'A cat is looking up at the sky.', which is correct.
子供たちは先生を見上げています。 (The children are looking down at the teacher.)
見上げる (miageru) means 'to look up at', so the correct translation would be 'The children are looking up at the teacher.'
私は山頂から街を見上げました。 (I looked up at the city from the mountain top.)
When you are at the mountain top, you would be looking down at the city, not up. '見下ろす' (miorosu) would be more appropriate here.
Listen for 'look up at the sky.'
Listen for 'He looked up at Tokyo Tower.'
Listen for 'The child looks up at their parents.'
Read this aloud:
空を見上げる。
Focus: mi-a-ge-ru
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
彼を見上げた。
Focus: mi-a-ge-ta
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
上を見上げてください。
Focus: ue-o-mi-a-ge-te-ku-da-sai
Du hast gesagt:
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Write a sentence describing someone looking up at a tall building.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼女は東京タワーを見上げています。
Describe a scene where children are looking up at fireworks in the night sky.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
子供たちは夜空に上がる花火を見上げています。
Write a sentence about someone looking up at a statue in a park.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼は公園の大きな銅像を見上げました。
子供たちは何を見上げていましたか？
Read this passage:
子供たちは、空に高く舞い上がる凧を見上げていました。彼らの顔には喜びと驚きが混じった表情がありました。
子供たちは何を見上げていましたか？
The passage states 「空に高く舞い上がる凧を見上げていました。」 which means 'They were looking up at the kite flying high in the sky.'
The passage states 「空に高く舞い上がる凧を見上げていました。」 which means 'They were looking up at the kite flying high in the sky.'
彼はどこから月を見上げていましたか？
Read this passage:
夜、彼はアパートの窓から、輝く満月を見上げていた。その美しさに心を奪われた。
彼はどこから月を見上げていましたか？
The passage says 「アパートの窓から、輝く満月を見上げていた。」 which means 'He was looking up at the shining full moon from his apartment window.'
The passage says 「アパートの窓から、輝く満月を見上げていた。」 which means 'He was looking up at the shining full moon from his apartment window.'
画家は何を見上げていましたか？
Read this passage:
その画家は、教会の天井に描かれた素晴らしいフレスコ画を見上げて、インスピレーションを得ていました。彼の新しい作品にもその影響が見られました。
画家は何を見上げていましたか？
The passage clearly states 「教会の天井に描かれた素晴らしいフレスコ画を見上げて」 which translates to 'looking up at the wonderful fresco painted on the church ceiling'.
The passage clearly states 「教会の天井に描かれた素晴らしいフレスコ画を見上げて」 which translates to 'looking up at the wonderful fresco painted on the church ceiling'.
This sentence means 'I looked up at the starry sky.' The particle 'を' marks '星空' (starry sky) as the direct object of the verb '見上げた' (looked up at).
This sentence means 'He looked up at the sky.' '彼' is the subject, '空' is the object, and '見上げた' is the verb.
This translates to 'I looked up at the tower. I was surprised by its height.' The first sentence establishes the action of looking up, and the second provides a reaction.
空に輝く星々を思わず___。
文脈は空の星に視線を向けることを示唆しており、「見上げる」が適切です。
彼は塔の頂上を___、その高さに驚嘆した。
塔の頂上は上にあるため、「見上げる」が正しい選択です。
子供たちは花火が上がる空を___、歓声を上げた。
花火は空に上がるので、自然に視線を上に向ける「見上げる」が適切です。
巨木を見上げると、その幹の太さに改めて圧倒される。
巨木は高いため、その全体像を見るためには「見上げる」動作が必要です。
コンサート会場では、多くのファンがステージの歌手を___熱狂していた。
ステージ上の歌手は通常、観客よりも高い位置にいるため、「見上げる」が適切な表現です。
彼女は夢に向かって努力する姿を___、希望を抱いた。
抽象的な目標や夢に対する尊敬の念を込めて「見上げる」が用いられます。
空に輝く星々を___と、心が安らぐ。
文脈から、星を見る行為は上を見る「見上げる」が適切です。
彼は故郷の空を___、遠い過去を懐かしんだ。
故郷の空を「見上げる」ことで、過去を思い出すという感情が表現されます。
大きなビルを___と、その高さに圧倒された。
高いビルに対しては、視線を上に向ける「見上げる」が自然です。
子供は夢中で空を___、飛行機雲を追いかけた。
飛行機雲を追いかける動作は、空を「見上げる」ことで行われます。
美術館で巨大な彫刻を___、その迫力に息をのんだ。
巨大な彫刻を見る際には、自然と視線が上に向く「見上げる」が適しています。
雨上がりの空に___虹は、希望の象徴だ。
虹は空に現れるものであり、それを見る行為は「見上げる」になります。
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Beispiel
夜空に輝く星々を見上げた。
Verwandte Inhalte
Dieses Wort in anderen Sprachen
Mehr nature Wörter
～上
B1Above; on top of; up.
〜の上
A2On top of, above, upon.
豊か
B1Abundant; rich; plentiful (na-adjective).
〜に従って
B1According to, in conformity with, as (something happens).
酸性雨
B1Acid rain.
営み
B1Activity; daily life; undertaking (e.g., life's activities).
順応する
B1To adapt; to adjust; to conform.
~を背景に
B1Against the backdrop of; with...as background.
空気
A2air
大気汚染
B1Air pollution; the presence of harmful substances in the air.
