おくる (送る・贈る): To Send / To Give a Gift
One sound, several kanji
When you hear okuru, your ear can't tell which kanji is meant — they're true homophones, pronounced and conjugated identically. The split only shows up in writing, and it follows a clean rule:
- 送る = the plain, all-purpose "send / move along." A package, a message, a person to the door, even time itself.
- 贈る = "send as a gift or honor." Presents, flowers, prizes, titles.
Notice the shared idea: in both, something travels from you toward another person. 送る is the neutral motion; 贈る adds warmth and ceremony — it's the kanji you reach for when the sending is a gesture of goodwill. Hold that distinction and the two never blur.
A quick grammar note before the meanings: both are transitive Group 1 (う-)verbs ending in -る. They conjugate the same way — う→って for the te-form, so 送る → 送って, 贈る → 贈って.
The meanings, most common first
1. To send (a thing or message) (送る)
ヤッタンはモチに荷物を送った。
ヤッタンは モチに にもつを おくった。
Yattan sent Mochi a package.
2. To send (a message / email) (送る)
先生にメールを送りました。
せんせいに めーるを おくりました。
I sent an email to my teacher.
送る covers email, texts, and messages — the everyday digital 'send.'
3. To see someone off / walk someone home (送る)
ヤッタンは友達を家まで送った。
ヤッタンは ともだちを いえまで おくった。
Yattan walked his friend home.
Here 送る means escorting a *person* — to the door, the station, or home.
4. To see off (at the station / airport) (送る)
モチは駅までヤッタンを送った。
モチは えきまで ヤッタンを おくった。
Mochi saw Yattan off at the station.
5. To spend / lead (a life or one's days) (送る)
ヤッタンは楽しい日々を送っている。
ヤッタンは たのしい ひびを おくって いる。
Yattan is leading happy days.
生活を送る / 日々を送る = to spend / lead a life. The 'sending along' of time.
6. To give as a gift / present (贈る)
ヤッタンはモチにプレゼントを贈った。
ヤッタンは モチに ぷれぜんとを おくった。
Yattan gave Mochi a present.
Now it's 贈る — a gift given with feeling, not just 'sent.'
7. To give flowers (formally / on an occasion) (贈る)
弟は先生に花を贈った。
おとうとは せんせいに はなを おくった。
My little brother gave the teacher flowers.
8. To award (a prize or honor) (贈る) — N3 nuance
先生はヤッタンに賞を贈った。
せんせいは ヤッタンに しょうを おくった。
Sensei awarded Yattan a prize.
賞を贈る = to award a prize. 贈る also covers honors and titles bestowed formally.
The same warm "give" image extends to other gift-giving phrases, all written 贈る: お祝いを贈る (to give a congratulatory gift), 記念品を贈る (to present a memento), 言葉を贈る (to offer parting words). If the sending is a gesture of goodwill, it's 贈る.
Common collocations worth memorizing
These pair so naturally with each kanji that learning them as chunks fixes the 送る / 贈る split in your memory:
| Collocation | Meaning | Kanji |
|---|---|---|
| 荷物を送る | to send a package | 送る |
| メールを送る | to send an email | 送る |
| 駅まで送る | to see off to the station | 送る |
| 生活を送る | to lead a life | 送る |
| プレゼントを贈る | to give a present | 贈る |
| 花を贈る | to give flowers | 贈る |
| 賞を贈る | to award a prize | 贈る |
Kanji & related verbs
Both kanji share the right-hand part and the same reading, but the left side tells the story:
- 送 ("send / escort") uses the road radical 辶 — think of something traveling along a path. This is the common, everyday おくる, and the only one most N5 learners need at first.
- 贈 ("present / bestow") uses the shell/money radical 貝, the classic marker of value and wealth. That radical is your hint: this is the gift おくる.
When in doubt in casual writing, 送る is the safe, far more frequent default — you can write almost any "send" with it. Reserve 贈る for when you specifically mean a gift, flowers, or an award.
Two more おくる relatives to file away for later:
- 贈り物 (おくりもの, N4) — "a gift, a present" (the noun built from 贈る).
- 見送る (みおくる, N3) — "to see off" as a single compound verb, a more formal cousin of 駅まで送る.
送る vs 贈る — the homophone trap
They sound identical and conjugate identically, so the only question the JLPT can ask is which kanji fits the meaning:
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 送る (send / see off / spend time) | Neutral 'move something along' — parcels, messages, escorting a person, the passing of days | 荷物を送る = send a package; 駅まで送る = see off to the station |
| 贈る (give a gift / honor) | Send as a gesture of goodwill — gifts, flowers, prizes, titles | プレゼントを贈る = give a present; 賞を贈る = award a prize |
The fast test: is it a present or an honor? If yes, 贈る. Everything else — packages, emails, walking a friend home, leading a happy life — is 送る. And remember the proportions: 送る shows up constantly, while 贈る is reserved for those special, gift-shaped moments.
Quick recap
- One sound, two kanji: 送る (everyday send) vs 贈る (give a gift/honor).
- 送る = send things/messages, see someone off, and spend/lead a life (生活を送る).
- 贈る = present a gift, flowers, or award — a gesture of goodwill.
- Both are transitive Group 1 (う-)verbs: う→って, so 送る → 送って, 贈る → 贈って.
- When unsure, 送る is the far more common default; save 贈る for true gifts.
Your turn
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Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
Is おくる a ru-verb or u-verb?
Both 送る and 贈る are Group 1 (う-verb / godan) verbs. The te-form is おくって and the negative is おくらない. They conjugate identically — the う→って pattern, so 送る → 送って.
What is the difference between 送る and 贈る?
送る is the everyday 'send' — packages, emails, seeing someone off, and even spending a life (生活を送る). 贈る means to give as a gift or honor — a present, flowers, or an award. If it's a gift or honor, use 贈る; otherwise use 送る.
Which おくる do I use for a birthday present?
Use 贈る: プレゼントを贈る. It carries the feeling of giving, not just sending. In very casual writing many people just write おくる in kana, but 贈る is the correct gift kanji.
Can 送る mean to walk someone home?
Yes. 友達を家まで送る means to walk or escort your friend home, and 駅まで送る means to see someone off at the station. Here 送る takes a person as its object.