What is the difference between 思【おも】い付【つ】く and 思【おも】い浮【う】かぶ?


The words 思い付く and 思い浮かぶ both mean something along the lines of "to come to
mind". But I'm not actually sure about the details of when to use one versus
the other. Yet, at the same time, they don't feel interchangeable, either.

I get the feeling that the difference has something to do with volition...
like, 思い付く is when you are trying to think of something, and 思い浮かぶ is when
something just naturally occurs to you. On the other hand, 浮かぶ is often used
when referring to trying to think of ideas (e.g. いいアイデアが思い浮かばない).

So, what is the actual difference between these words? When should I use 思い付く
and when should I use 思い浮かぶ?




思{おも}い付{つ}く and 思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ are compound verbs (複合動詞{ふくごうどうし}) - [思{おも}う +
付{つ}く] and [思{おも}う + 浮{う}かぶ].

思{おも}う implies the action that the doer works his/her mind subjectively and
emotionally to image/determine/worry/hope/expect/like or love.

> 日本{にほん}の将来{しょうらい}を思{おも}う。"I think of the future of Japan."
>
> 問題{もんだい}ないと思{おも}う。"There should be no problem."
>
> 風邪{かぜ}を引{ひ}いたんじゃないかと思{おも}う。"I might/must be a cold."
>
> 子{こ}を思{おも}う親心{おやごころ}。"Parental tenderness for children"
>
> 彼{かれ}には他{ほか}に思{おも}う人{ひと}がいる。"He has someone in his mind/likes someone else."

付く indicates that someone or something (stain, color, decoration,
condition/provision, power, price, name, smell and so on) attaches to the
object. [...が] 思{おも}い付{つ}く is used when some (beneficial or good) idea for the
doer comes up in his/her mind, especially without a deep consideration. To
思{おも}い付{つ}く something is like the pop sound of the cork stopper when you open
the champagne bottle.

> いいアイデアが思{おも}い付{つ}いた。"I came up with an idea."
>
> 解決策{かいけつさく}が思{おも}い付{つ}かない。"I can't come up with any solution."
>
> 思{おも}いつくままに語{かた}る。"I talk things in mind without thinking."

浮{う}かぶ indicates that someone or something rises up gradually or floats
somewhere unstable like in the air or on the water. [...が] 思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ is
used when the doer comes up with an idea or a certain image/memory/impression
from an event. This idea/image/memory/impression can be blurry at first and
become clear gradually as you bring the camera into focus on the object.

> いいアイデアが思{おも}い浮{う}かんだ。"I came up with an idea (after considering a bit)."
>
> この曲{きょく}を聞{き}いていると、ゴッドファーザーのシーンが思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ。"I can visualize the scene from
> the God Father while listening to this song."

When 思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ is used in the same situation as 思{おも}い付{つ}く, it gives the
impression that you have a little bit of thought before coming up with an
idea.




思{おも}い付{つ}く and 思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ are compound verbs (複合動詞{ふくごうどうし}) - [思{おも}う +
付{つ}く] and [思{おも}う + 浮{う}かぶ].

思{おも}う implies the action that the doer works his/her mind subjectively and
emotionally to image/determine/worry/hope/expect/like or love.

> 日本{にほん}の将来{しょうらい}を思{おも}う。"I think of the future of Japan."
>
> 問題{もんだい}ないと思{おも}う。"There should be no problem."
>
> 風邪{かぜ}を引{ひ}いたんじゃないかと思{おも}う。"I might/must be a cold."
>
> 子{こ}を思{おも}う親心{おやごころ}。"Parental tenderness for children"
>
> 彼{かれ}には他{ほか}に思{おも}う人{ひと}がいる。"He has someone in his mind/likes someone else."

付く indicates that someone or something (stain, color, decoration,
condition/provision, power, price, name, smell and so on) attaches to the
object. [...が] 思{おも}い付{つ}く is used when some (beneficial or good) idea for the
doer comes up in his/her mind, especially without a deep consideration. To
思{おも}い付{つ}く something is like the pop sound of the cork stopper when you open
the champagne bottle.

> いいアイデアが思{おも}い付{つ}いた。"I came up with an idea."
>
> 解決策{かいけつさく}が思{おも}い付{つ}かない。"I can't come up with any solution."
>
> 思{おも}いつくままに語{かた}る。"I talk things in mind without thinking."

浮{う}かぶ indicates that someone or something rises up gradually or floats
somewhere unstable like in the air or on the water. [...が] 思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ is
used when the doer comes up with an idea or a certain image/memory/impression
from an event. This idea/image/memory/impression can be blurry at first and
become clear gradually as you bring the camera into focus on the object.

> いいアイデアが思{おも}い浮{う}かんだ。"I came up with an idea (after considering a bit)."
>
> この曲{きょく}を聞{き}いていると、ゴッドファーザーのシーンが思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ。"I can visualize the scene from
> the God Father while listening to this song."

When 思{おも}い浮{う}かぶ is used in the same situation as 思{おも}い付{つ}く, it gives the
impression that you have a little bit of thought before coming up with an
idea.

