音読み: セン
訓読み: えらぶ
画数: 15
部首: しんにょう（辶）
Meaning
Choose / Select / Elect
- Basic forms
- 選ぶ — to choose; to select / base form
- 選びます — choose; select / masu form
- 選んだ — chose; selected / ta-form
- 選んで — choose and … / te-form
- 選ばない — do not choose / negative
- 選べば — if (you) choose / conditional
- 選べ — choose! / imperative
- Common expressions
- 道を選ぶ — choose a path
- 言葉を選ぶ — choose one’s words
- More
- 選びたい — want to choose / 〜たい form
- 選べる — can choose / potential
- 選ばなかった — did not choose
選ぶ（えらぶ） is a godan verb ending in ぶ. It is used for making a choice from multiple options — objects, paths, words, or decisions.
- 選手 — athlete / player
- 選択 — selection / choice
- 選挙 — election
- 当選 — being elected
- 再選 — re-election
- 選定 — screening / selection
選 combines the 辶 (movement) radical with 巽 (phonetic/meaning component). Together they convey the sense of moving toward a direction or picking a path, which developed into the meaning of “choosing” or “selecting.” It appears widely in contexts of elections, options, and decisions.