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I find the difference between 「広める (他動詞) 広げる (他動詞)」 and between 「広まる (自動詞) 広がる
(自動詞)」 to be complicated.

Can someone explain?
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2013-08-23T13:00:20.050
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grammar nuances
What are the differences between 広める and 広げる and between 広まる and 広がる?
「広める・広げる」 are transitive (他動詞), 「広まる・広がる」 are intransitive (自動詞). It's really
as simple as that. 広める and 広まる have to do with 'spreading', so the first is
'to spread (something) out' and the second is 'to be spread out' (or 'to
spread out' without an object). 広げる and 広がる have to do with 'widening' or
'expanding', so the first is 'to widen (something)' and the second is 'to grow
wider'.
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2013-08-24T17:05:16.050
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This is how I think it is:

![広げる・がる vs. 広める・まる](https://i.stack.imgur.com/K8uYK.png)

I think to 広げる is to spread out something like a blanket or a mat or your
arms, the reach/extent is increased.

For 広める I think it is to spread things like stories, gossips, and the
reach/extent increases because the same information is recreated in other
places.

But how about "to broaden vocabulary"? I think it belongs to 広げる, the
vocabulary stays in one person's mind, and its extent is increased (within
itself) instead of being reproduced to other people.

How about spreading a virus? I think both 広げる and 広める can work.

If you are thinking of the spread of a particular influenza virus, then we can
think of that virus as an (one single) abstract notion that increases like a
blanket. (this is the 広げる case)

We also can think of how it spreads by replicating and creating new copies of
itself. (this is the 広める case)
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2013-08-25T09:20:37.090
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2013-08-25T09:47:46.747
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The 大辞泉 entry for 広がる explains the difference between 広がる and 広まる in the 「用法」
section:

[大辞泉：広がる](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/detail?p=%E3%81%B2%E3%82%8D%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B&stype=0&dtype=0)

To paraphrase, 広がる describes something spreading out naturally, like a scenic
view or a wildfire, whereas 広まる describes something spreading as the result of
an intentional attempt to spread it.

広がる also has the meaning of physically opening up or being unfolded.
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