hirou

Hirou is the common romanization of the Japanese verb 拾う, meaning "to pick up" or "to gather." In modern Japanese it covers both physical acts of picking up objects and metaphorical uses such as gleaning information. It is a godan (u-verb). The dictionary form is 拾う (hirou). The polite form is 拾います (hiroimasu); the te-form is 拾って (hirotto); the past form 拾った (hirotta); the negative 拾わない (hirawanai); and the volitional 拾おう (hiroou). The noun-like stem 拾い (hiroi) appears in phrases like 拾い物 (ひろいもの, “a found item”).

Usage notes and examples: The verb is commonly used for physically picking up objects, for example 道端のゴミを拾う (みちばたのごみをひろう; to pick up trash on the roadside). It also has figurative uses, such as 情報を拾う (じょうほうをひろう; to glean or pick up information). Other common constructions include 拾うことができる (hirou koto ga dekiru; can pick up/collect) and 拾い上げる (hiroiageru; to pick up a large amount or to pick up emotionally). A related noun, 拾い物 (ひろいもの), refers to something found or a lucky find.

Etymology and usage context: The kanji 拾 originates from a concept of gathering or collecting. In everyday Japanese, hirou remains a core verb for physical拾う actions and is widely used in both practical and literary contexts. It is distinct from related verbs with different kanji or senses, reinforcing its primary meaning of picking up or gathering.