What does 遊ぶ mean?
遊ぶ is a Japanese verb meaning “to play; to spend time pleasantly; to hang out” in English. It can also be translated as “to mess about (with alcohol, gambling, philandery, etc.), to be idle, to meet up (with friends)” depending on context. It is written as 遊ぶ in kanji, あそぶ in hiragana, and asobu in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N5 vocabulary.
Example sentences
２人の子供が通りで遊んでいた。
There were two children playing on the street.
その機械は今遊んでいる。
The machine is lying idle.