片付ける
かたづける·katazukeru
Meaning
to tidy up; to put away; to clean up; to organize
Nuance & Usage
片付ける means to tidy up a space by putting things in their proper place. It implies removing clutter and restoring order, not just superficial cleaning (which would be 掃除する — souji suru). The intransitive counterpart is 片付く (katazuku — things get tidied up / the mess gets cleared). Common uses: 部屋を片付ける (tidy the room), 食器を片付ける (put dishes away). 後片付け (atokatazuke) means cleaning up after an event.
Common Mistakes
Learners confuse 片付ける with 掃除する (souji suru — to clean/sweep). 片付ける = to organize and put things away; 掃除する = to physically clean (vacuum, wipe, etc.). You can 片付け the room (organize it) and then 掃除 it (vacuum it). Also: 片付ける is transitive (片付けた — I tidied up), while 片付く is intransitive (片付いた — It got tidied up).
Example Sentences (3)
遊んだ後はおもちゃを片付けなさい。
あそんだあとはおもちゃをかたづけなさい。
Put your toys away after playing.
パーティーの後、部屋を片付けるのに二時間かかりました。
ぱーてぃーのあと、へやをかたづけるのににじかんかかりました。
It took two hours to tidy the room after the party.
仕事を片付けてから、ゆっくり休みます。
しごとをかたづけてから、ゆっくりやすみます。
I'll rest properly after finishing up my work.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N44 questionsTest your knowledge of 片付ける with 4 different question types.
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