naderu-vs-sasuru

2021年7月16日2026年4月28日

When you want to say “stroke” or “rub” in Japanese, you have at least two choices: なでる (naderu) and さする (sasuru). Both involve moving your hand across a surface, but they feel completely different in practice — and native speakers use them in very different contexts. Mixing them up can lead to awkward or even funny misunderstandings. This guide explains exactly when to use each word.

Yuka

Rei, I’ve seen なでる and さする so many times but I always second-guess myself. Help!

Rei

Don’t worry — this is one of the most common points of confusion for English speakers. Let me clear it up once and for all!

TOC

At a Glance: なでる vs. さする

Feature	なでる (naderu)	さする (sasuru)
Core meaning	To stroke, to pet, to caress	To rub, to massage gently
Word type	る-verb (Group 2)	る-verb (Group 2)
Kanji	撫でる	擦る (less common in kana)
Touch type	Light, flowing, affectionate	Back-and-forth, soothing
Typical objects	Hair, head, animal fur, cheek	Back, stomach, sore area
Emotional tone	Affection, praise, love	Care, comfort, relief
JLPT level	N3	N3

なでる (naderu) — To Stroke: Light, Flowing, Affectionate Touch

なでる (撫でる) means to stroke something gently — a smooth, flowing motion that shows affection or tenderness. Think of stroking a cat, patting a child on the head, or brushing someone’s hair with your hand. The motion is gentle and unidirectional (or smoothly flowing), and the emotional context is warmth and care.

なでる is the word you use when the touch itself conveys love or affection — not just physical contact. This is why it is so commonly used with pets, children, or people you care about deeply.

Example 1 — petting an animal:

猫の頭をなでた。
Neko no atama wo nadeta.
I stroked the cat’s head.

Example 2 — comforting a child:

母は泣いている子供の頭をなでた。
Haha wa naite iru kodomo no atama wo nadeta.
My mother stroked the crying child’s head.

Example 3 — tender gesture:

彼は彼女の髪をそっとなでた。
Kare wa kanojo no kami wo sotto nadeta.
He gently stroked her hair.

Yuka

Okay, that example with なでる really helped! I never saw it used that way before.

Rei

Right? Seeing real examples is so much more useful than memorizing a definition. なでる is definitely one of those words you’ll start noticing everywhere.

さする (sasuru) — To Rub: Back-and-Forth, Soothing, Practical

さする means to rub something with a back-and-forth or circular motion, typically to relieve pain, provide warmth, or soothe discomfort. Think of rubbing someone’s back when they feel sick, rubbing a sore knee, or warming your hands by rubbing them together. The motion is more deliberate than なでる, and the context is usually physical comfort or relief rather than pure affection.

A very common use is 背中をさする (senaka wo sasuru — “to rub someone’s back”), often done when someone is feeling nauseous or has a stomachache. This caring gesture is deeply embedded in Japanese expressions of concern for others’ physical well-being.

Example 1 — rubbing a sore spot:

膝をさすった。
Hiza wo sasutta.
I rubbed my knee (to ease the pain).

Example 2 — comforting someone sick:

気持ち悪そうだったから、背中をさすってあげた。
Kimochi waruso datta kara, senaka wo sasutte ageta.
She looked unwell, so I rubbed her back.

Example 3 — warming hands:

寒くて、手をさすっていた。
Samukute, te wo sasuite ita.
It was cold, so I was rubbing my hands together.

Yuka

And さする — is it used in formal situations, casual ones, or both?

Rei

Great observation! さする actually works in both — context is everything. The comparison table coming up should make this super clear.

The Key Difference: Affection vs. Comfort

The core difference is the purpose and motion of the touch. なでる is a smooth, flowing stroke primarily motivated by affection or tenderness. さする is a back-and-forth or circular rub primarily motivated by physical comfort, pain relief, or warmth.

A helpful way to remember: if you are expressing love (petting a dog, patting a child’s head), use なでる. If you are trying to help someone feel better physically (rubbing a sore back, massaging tired muscles), use さする.

Important note: You can rub someone’s back out of affection too, but in Japanese, the context of the touch determines the word. さする a dog’s back would sound odd — you なでる a dog. さする is for the physical act of rubbing to soothe, not for petting.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Situation	なでる	さする
Petting a dog	✓ 犬をなでる	✗
Patting a child’s head	✓ 頭をなでる	✗
Rubbing a sore knee	✗	✓ 膝をさする
Rubbing someone’s back (illness)	✗	✓ 背中をさする
Stroking someone’s hair (affection)	✓ 髪をなでる	✗
Warming cold hands	✗	✓ 手をさする
Gentle face touch (tender)	✓ 頬をなでる	✗

Decision Flowchart: なでる or さする?

Are you describing a touching/rubbing action?
        |
        v
Is the PRIMARY PURPOSE affection,
tenderness, or love (petting / caressing)?
   |           |
  YES          NO
   |           |
   v           v
 なでる        Is the purpose PHYSICAL COMFORT,
(stroke,       PAIN RELIEF, or WARMTH (rubbing
pet, caress)   back/knee/hands)?
                 |           |
                YES          NO
                 |           |
                 v           v
             さする         Consider other
             (rub,          touch verbs
             massage)       (触る、押さえるetc.)

Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!

Yuka

I feel ready! Let’s see how well I really know なでる and さする.

Rei

Let’s find out! Don’t peek at the answers until you’ve tried each one yourself.

Fill in the blank with なでる or さする (conjugate as needed).

Q1. She stroked the cat gently.
彼女は猫をそっと＿＿＿た。
Kanojo wa neko wo sotto ___ta.

Answer: なで (nadeta → なでた)
Reason: Gently stroking a cat = affection = なでる.

Q2. My stomach hurts, so I was rubbing it.
お腹が痛くて、＿＿＿いた。
Onaka ga itakute, ___ ita.

Answer: さすって (sasutte ita → さすっていた)
Reason: Rubbing a painful area to soothe = さする.

Q3. He patted the child’s head.
彼は子供の頭を＿＿＿た。
Kare wa kodomo no atama wo ___ta.

Answer: なで (nadeta → なでた)
Reason: Patting a child’s head = affectionate stroke = なでる.

Q4. It was cold, so I rubbed my hands together to warm them.
寒かったので、手を＿＿＿いた。
Samukatta node, te wo ___ ita.

Answer: さすって (sasutte ita → さすっていた)
Reason: Rubbing hands for warmth = physical purpose = さする.

Q5. She gently stroked her sleeping baby’s cheek.
彼女は眠っている赤ちゃんの頬をそっと＿＿＿た。
Kanojo wa nemutte iru akachan no hoho wo sotto ___ta.

Answer: なで (nadeta → なでた)
Reason: A gentle, loving touch on a baby’s cheek = なでる.

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