動詞 I

運営うんえい費ひは会員かいいんの寄付きふで賄まかなわれている。

Running costs are covered by members' donations.

Usage 費用を賄う, 経費を賄う, and often passive: 〜で賄われている. Also 食事を賄う, providing meals. The subject is the source of funds or supply.

Remember it 賄 (provide, as in 賄賂) carries the 貝 shell radical for money → paying for it out of what you have.

失言しつげんのあと、彼かれは慌あわてて体裁ていさいを繕つくろった。

After the slip, he hastily patched up appearances.

Usage Literally mending clothes: 服を繕う. The N1 sense is 体裁を繕う or その場を繕う — papering over an awkward moment. 取り繕う carries the same sense.

Remember it 繕 pairs the thread radical 糸 with 善 (good) → stitching it back to looking good.

最後さいごまで粘ねばった結果けっか、逆転ぎゃくてん勝利しょうりを収おさめた。

Persevering to the end, they came from behind to win.

Usage Literally sticky — 納豆が粘る. Figuratively, refusing to give up: 粘り強く交渉する, and the adjective 粘り強い for tenacity.

Remember it 粘 (sticky, as in 粘土 clay) → sticking to it and not coming away.

創立そうりつ記念きねんの式典しきてんを催もよおすことになった。

It was decided to hold a ceremony for the founding anniversary.

Usage Two senses: holding an event, more formal than 開く, and feeling a bodily urge — 眠気を催す, 吐き気を催す. The noun 催し means an event.

Remember it 催 (urge on, as in 催促) → bringing something on, whether an event or a sensation.

一度いちどの不祥事ふしょうじが長年ながねんの信用しんようを損そこなった。

A single scandal damaged credibility built over many years.

Usage 信用を損なう, 健康を損なう, 気分を損なう. Also an auxiliary: 〜し損なう means to fail to do or miss the chance — 言い損なう. The variant 損ねる means the same.

Remember it 損 (damage, as in 損害, 損失) → leaving it the worse for it.

濃こい霧きりが街まち全体ぜんたいを覆おおっていた。

Thick fog covered the whole town.

Usage 〜を覆う, and figuratively 不安が社会を覆う. The phrase 目を覆う means a scene too terrible to look at. Same character as 覆す but read おおう.

Remember it 覆 (cover over, as in 覆面) → spread over the top of it.

判断はんだんに迷まよい、上司じょうしの指示しじを仰あおいだ。

Unsure of the decision, he sought instructions from his superior.

Usage Three senses: 空を仰ぐ, looking up; 指示を仰ぐ, asking a superior for direction — the N1 sense; and 師と仰ぐ, looking up to someone as a teacher.

Remember it 仰 (look up, revere, as in 信仰) → raising your eyes to someone above you.

生徒せいとたちは今いまでもあの先生せんせいを慕したっている。

The students still look up to that teacher.

Usage 人を慕う. Warm and respectful — affection for someone senior, absent or departed. The passive 慕われる, to be held in affection, is very common.

Remember it 慕 (yearn for, as in 愛慕) stands on the heart radical 心 → the heart leaning toward someone.

罪つみを償つぐなうために、彼かれは生涯しょうがいをかけて奉仕ほうし活動かつどうを続つづけた。

To atone for his crime, he spent his life in service.

Usage 罪を償う, 損害を償う. The noun is 償い. Its family: 賠償 for damages, 補償 for compensation, 弁償 for making good a loss.

Remember it 償 (repay) sets 亻 (person) beside 賞 (reward) → the person paying back what is owed.

彼かれは三度さんど目めの記録きろく更新こうしんに挑いどんだ。

He took on the record for the third time.

Usage 〜に挑む. Objects: 記録, 難題, 試合. The noun is 挑戦. Compare 試みる, simply trying something — 挑む implies a difficulty or an opponent.

Remember it 挑 (provoke, as in 挑戦) → going out to pick the fight.

険けわしい山やまが行いく手てを阻はばんでいた。

Steep mountains blocked the way ahead.

Usage 行く手を阻む, 成長を阻む. The subject is usually the obstacle — terrain, a rule, opposition. More formal than 邪魔する. Its noun relative is 阻害.

Remember it 阻 (block, as in 阻害, 険阻) → standing in the way.

会社かいしゃは取材しゅざいに応おうじることを拒こばんだ。

The company refused to grant an interview.

Usage 要求を拒む, 申し出を拒む. Stronger than 断る. Also physical: 人を拒む険しい山, a mountain that will not let anyone in. Relatives: 拒否, 拒絶.

Remember it 拒 (refuse, as in 拒否) → holding it off with both hands.

この地方ちほうは豊ゆたかな水みずに恵めぐまれている。

This region is blessed with abundant water.

Usage The passive 〜に恵まれる — blessed with, fortunate in — is the form that matters: 才能に恵まれる, 天候に恵まれる. The noun 恵み means a blessing.

Remember it 恵 (grace, as in 恩恵, 知恵) → given as a gift you did not earn.

観光かんこう客きゃくの増加ぞうかで地元じもとの経済けいざいが潤うるおった。

With more tourists, the local economy prospered.

Usage Literally moist: 肌が潤う. The N1 sense is financial: 経済が潤う, 生活が潤う. Transitive 潤す; the adjective 潤沢 means plentiful.

Remember it 潤 (moisten, as in 利潤, 潤沢) carries the water radical 氵 → soaked and so flourishing.

厚手あつでの上着うわぎでなんとか寒さむさを凌しのいだ。

With a thick coat I somehow got through the cold.

Usage Two distinct senses: getting through hardship — 寒さを凌ぐ, 飢えを凌ぐ — and surpassing — 前年を凌ぐ売上. Context decides which.

Remember it 凌 (rise above, as in 凌駕) → climbing over what is in your way, or over your rivals.

高たかいビルが日差ひざしを遮さえぎっている。

A tall building blocks the sunlight.

Usage 光を遮る, 視界を遮る, and 話を遮る for cutting someone off mid-sentence. Compare 封じる, sealing something in; 遮る stands across the path of something moving.

Remember it 遮 (intercept, as in 遮断) → put across the way to stop it passing.

後のちのことを同僚どうりょうに託たくして、彼かれは職場しょくばを去さった。

Entrusting what came next to a colleague, he left the workplace.

Usage 〜に〜を託す, and the lovely 思いを言葉に託す, putting feeling into words. The form 託する is equivalent. Relatives: 委託, 信託, 依託.

Remember it 託 (entrust, as in 委託, 信託) → placing it in someone else's keeping.

仲間なかまに唆そそのかされて、つい軽率けいそつな行動こうどうをとってしまった。

Egged on by friends, I ended up acting rashly.

Usage 人を唆す, usually passive: 唆されて. Always negative — inciting someone to do wrong. The legal term is 教唆.

Remember it 唆 (incite, as in 教唆) carries the mouth radical 口 → talking someone into it.

開店かいてん前まえから客きゃくが入口いりぐちに群むがっていた。

Customers were crowding at the entrance before opening time.

Usage 〜に群がる. Used of crowds, insects, fish. Slightly disparaging — an unruly press of bodies rather than an orderly queue.

Remember it 群 (flock, as in 群衆, 群島) → gathered into a swarm.

涙なみだで文字もじが滲にじんで読よめなくなった。

Tears blurred the writing until it could not be read.

Usage Literally bleeding or blurring: インクが滲む. Figuratively, and often admiringly: 努力の跡が滲む, effort showing through. にじみ出る means to seep out.

Remember it 滲 carries the water radical 氵 → liquid spreading through the fibres.

厳きびしい表情ひょうじょうが、孫まごの顔かおを見みて綻ほころびた。

His stern expression softened at the sight of his grandchild.

Usage Three senses: seams coming undone, 袖が綻びる; a face relaxing into a smile, 顔が綻びる — the literary favourite; and blossoms beginning to open, 桜が綻びる.

Remember it 綻 carries the thread radical 糸 → stitches easing open, whether on cloth, a face, or a bud.

手入ていれをされない木造もくぞうの橋はしは次第しだいに朽くちていった。

The untended wooden bridge gradually rotted away.

Usage Of wood and bodies decaying. Figuratively, 名は朽ちない — a name that does not fade. Related: 不朽 for immortal work, 腐朽 for decay. Literary.

Remember it 朽 (rot, as in 不朽) → wood left long enough to crumble.

その習慣しゅうかんは時代じだいとともに廃すたれていった。

The custom fell out of use with the times.

Usage 習慣が廃れる, 技術が廃れる. Transitive 廃する. Relatives: 廃止 for abolition, 廃墟 for ruins, 荒廃 for devastation.

Remember it 廃 (discard, as in 廃止, 廃棄) → left unused until it lapses.

彼かれの発言はつげんは次第しだいに政治せいじ的てきな色彩しきさいを帯おびてきた。

His remarks gradually took on a political colouring.

Usage 色彩を帯びる, 現実味を帯びる, 使命を帯びる. Abstract and written: acquiring a quality rather than putting something on.

Remember it 帯 (wear at the waist, as in 携帯) → carrying the quality about with you.

万全ばんぜんの準備じゅんびをして試験しけんに臨のぞんだ。

He faced the exam with thorough preparation.

Usage 試験に臨む, 試合に臨む — going into an important occasion. Also spatial: 海に臨む町, a town facing the sea. Distinguish 望む, to wish for.

Remember it 臨 (come before, as in 臨時, 君臨) → standing right up in front of the occasion.

調査ちょうさのため、来週らいしゅう現地げんちに赴おもむく予定よていだ。

I am due to travel to the site next week for the investigation.

Usage 〜に赴く. Formal, usually on official business — 任地に赴く, taking up a post. The noun 赴任 means going to a new posting.

Remember it 赴 carries the run radical 走 → setting off there in person.

資金しきん繰ぐりが悪化あっかし、経営けいえいは危機ききに陥おちいった。

With cash flow worsening, the business fell into crisis.

Usage 危機に陥る, 混乱に陥る, 錯覚に陥る. The state entered is always bad. Transitive 陥れる means to trap someone. Relatives: 欠陥, 陥没.

Remember it 陥 (fall into a pit, as in 陥落) → the ground giving way under you.

責任せきにんを逃のがれようとする態度たいどが批判ひはんを浴あびた。

An attitude of trying to evade responsibility drew criticism.

Usage 責任を逃れる, 危険を逃れる. Compare 免れる, being spared something; 逃れる stresses actively getting away from it.

Remember it 逃 (flee, as in 逃亡, 逃避) → getting yourself out of reach.

その研究けんきゅう成果せいかは高たかく評価ひょうかされるに値あたいする。

Those research results deserve high evaluation.

Usage 〜に値する, or 〜するに値する. Objects: 注目, 賞賛, 検討. The negative 値しない dismisses something as not worth it.

Remember it 値 (worth, as in 価値) → coming up to the value in question.

彼かれは専門家せんもんかと称しょうしているが、経歴けいれきは不明ふめいだ。

He calls himself an expert, but his background is unclear.

Usage 〜と称する often carries a hint of doubt about the claim. Also plain naming: 〜を〜と称する. Relatives: 名称, 自称, 称賛.

Remember it 称 (name, style oneself, as in 自称) → giving yourself the title.

会場かいじょうは異様いような熱気ねっきを呈ていしていた。

The venue presented an air of extraordinary excitement.

Usage 〜の様相を呈する — to take on the appearance of — is the phrase to know. Also 疑問を呈する, raising a doubt. Formal written register.

Remember it 呈 (present, as in 贈呈, 露呈) → holding it out for view.

待遇たいぐうは正社員せいしゃいんに準じゅんずるものとする。

Treatment shall be equivalent to that of full-time employees.

Usage 〜に準ずる. The language of regulations and contracts: treated according to the same standard. 準じる is the same verb.

Remember it 準 (standard, as in 基準, 標準) → measured against that standard.

混乱こんらんに乗じょうじて不正ふせいが行おこなわれた。

Taking advantage of the confusion, wrongdoing took place.

Usage 〜に乗じる. The opening is usually a lapse or a disorder — 混乱に乗じる, 隙に乗じる. Negative. 乗ずる is the same verb; in mathematics it means to multiply.

Remember it 乗 (ride, mount) → climbing onto the opening while it is there.

政府せいふは復興ふっこうに巨額きょがくの予算よさんを投とうじた。

The government poured an enormous budget into reconstruction.

Usage 資金を投じる, 票を投じる for casting a vote, and the idiom 一石を投じる — throwing a stone into still water, raising an issue. 投ずる is the same verb.

Remember it 投 (throw, as in 投資, 投票) → thrown in.

強豪きょうごうチームが予選よせんで惨敗ざんぱいを喫きっした。

The strong team suffered a crushing defeat in the qualifiers.

Usage 敗北を喫する, 惨敗を喫する — almost a fixed phrase in sports and news writing. The same character gives 喫煙 for smoking and 満喫 for savouring something fully.

Remember it 喫 (take in, as in 喫茶, 満喫) → swallowing it, including what is bitter.

この制度せいどは地域ちいきの活性かっせい化かに資しするものだ。

This system is one that contributes to revitalising the region.

Usage 〜に資する. Highly formal — administrative documents and academic writing. Everyday equivalents are 貢献する and 役立つ.

Remember it 資 (resources, as in 資金, 資源) → putting your resources toward it.

全社ぜんしゃ一丸いちがんとなって勇気ゆうきを奮ふるい立たたせた。

The whole company pulled together and summoned its courage.

Usage 勇気を奮う, 奮い立たせる. Also the polite 奮って参加ください, urging enthusiastic participation. Relatives: 興奮, 奮闘, 発奮.

Remember it 奮 (rouse oneself, as in 興奮, 奮闘) → working yourself up to it.