動詞 II

日頃ひごろの点検てんけんを怠おこたったことが事故じこにつながった。

Neglecting routine inspections led to the accident.

Usage 注意を怠る, 義務を怠る. The noun is 怠慢. Formal, and usually appears when blame is being assigned — さぼる is the casual word for skiving.

Remember it 怠 (idle, as in 怠慢) → leaving undone the thing you owed.

経歴けいれきを偽いつわって採用さいようされたことが発覚はっかくした。

It came to light that he had been hired by misrepresenting his career.

Usage 経歴を偽る, 身分を偽る. The noun 偽り, and 偽りのない for genuine. Relatives: 偽装, 虚偽, 偽物.

Remember it 偽 (false, as in 虚偽) sets 亻 (person) against 為 (do) → a person making things out to be what they are not.

辞書じしょのページを繰くりながら語源ごげんを調しらべた。

I turned the pages of the dictionary and looked up the etymology.

Usage ページを繰る, 糸を繰る for reeling thread, 日を繰る for counting off days. The root of the compounds 繰り返す, 繰り上げる, 繰り越す.

Remember it 繰 carries the thread radical 糸 → drawing thread in hand over hand, page after page.

油断ゆだんしないよう、自みずからを戒いましめている。

I caution myself against letting my guard down.

Usage 自らを戒める, 〜ないよう戒める. Moral in tone, stronger than 注意する. The noun 戒め means a warning or precept; 十戒 is the Ten Commandments.

Remember it 戒 (admonish, as in 警戒) → setting a guard on conduct.

ご要望ようぼうは確たしかに承うけたまわりました。

I have certainly received your request.

Usage The humble form of 聞く and 受ける: ご注文を承ります. Ubiquitous in customer service, and one of the 謙譲語 forms the exam expects you to recognise.

Remember it 承 (receive from above, as in 承認, 継承) → taking it respectfully from a superior.

来月らいげつから海外かいがい支社ししゃに赴任ふにんすることになった。

From next month I am to take up a post at the overseas branch.

Usage 任地に赴任する, and 単身赴任 — moving for a posting while the family stays behind, a fixture of Japanese working life.

Remember it 赴 (head for) + 任 (post) → setting off to the post you have been given.

読書どくしょを通とおして豊ゆたかな感性かんせいを培つちかってきた。

Through reading I have cultivated a rich sensibility.

Usage 実力を培う, 信頼関係を培う. The object is always abstract and positive, and the growth is slow. From banking earth up around a plant.

Remember it 培 carries the earth radical 土 → heaping soil round the roots so it grows.

その言葉ことばは深ふかい意味いみを宿やどしている。

Those words carry a deep meaning within them.

Usage 意味を宿す, 希望を宿す, 命を宿す for carrying a child. Literary. Its intransitive partner is 宿る — 魂が宿る.

Remember it 宿 (lodge, as in 宿泊) → giving it lodging inside you.

彼かれは胸むねに強つよい決意けついを秘ひめていた。

He held a firm resolve hidden in his heart.

Usage 胸に秘める, 秘めた才能 for latent talent, 〜を秘めている for holding potential. Unlike 隠す, which hides objects, 秘める keeps something inward.

Remember it 秘 (keep secret, as in 秘密) → kept where no one can see.

長年ながねんの功績こうせきに免めんじて今回こんかいは不問ふもんとする。

In consideration of his long service, we will let it pass this time.

Usage 〜に免じて — the most tested use — means letting something go out of regard for a person or a merit. Also 職を免じる, relieving someone of a post. 免ずる is the same verb.

Remember it 免 (exempt, as in 免除) → excused on account of something.

支援しえんしてくれた人々ひとびとの期待きたいに報むくいたい。

I want to repay the expectations of those who supported me.

Usage 期待に報いる, 恩に報いる — note the particle に. The passive 報われる, to have your effort rewarded, is extremely common. The noun 報い usually means a comeuppance.

Remember it 報 (requite, as in 報酬, 応報) → giving back in kind.

一方いっぽう的てきに犠牲ぎせいを強しいるやり方かたには賛成さんせいできない。

I cannot agree with a way of doing things that forces sacrifice on one side only.

Usage 犠牲を強いる, 我慢を強いる, and the passive 強いられる. Read しいる. Where 強制する is compulsion by authority, 強いる stresses the burden laid on someone.

Remember it 強 (force) → pressing your strength onto another's shoulders.

時代じだいに合あわない慣行かんこうを廃はいすることにした。

They decided to abolish the practice as no longer suited to the times.

Usage 制度を廃する, 慣行を廃する. Formal and official. Its intransitive partner 廃れる means to fall out of use; relatives are 廃止 and 撤廃.

Remember it 廃 (discard, as in 廃止) → done away with by decision.

不都合ふつごうな事実じじつを闇やみに葬ほうむろうとした。

They tried to bury the inconvenient facts in darkness.

Usage Literally to bury the dead. The N1 sense is 闇に葬る, burying something so it never comes to light, and 政界から葬られる, being buried politically.

Remember it 葬 (bury) shows a body between grass above and below → put under and covered over.

彼女かのじょは十じゅう名めいのチームを率ひきいてプロジェクトを成功せいこうさせた。

She led a team of ten and brought the project to success.

Usage チームを率いる, 軍を率いる. Read ひきいる — the same character reads りつ in 効率 and そつ in 引率.

Remember it 率 (lead, command) → taking the group along behind you.

議長ぎちょうは参加さんか者しゃに発言はつげんを促うながした。

The chair urged the participants to speak.

Usage 発言を促す, 成長を促す, and 注意を促す for calling attention to something — a phrase seen on every warning notice. Gentler than 強いる; the noun is 促進.

Remember it 促 (urge on, as in 促進) → giving it a nudge forward.

書かき損そんじた用紙ようしは回収かいしゅうしてください。

Please collect any sheets that have been spoiled in writing.

Usage Mostly an auxiliary: 書き損じる, 打ち損じる — botching or missing the action. 損なう and 損ねる say the same thing and are commoner alone.

Remember it 損 (damage, as in 損害) → the attempt spoiled in the making.

母ははは遠方えんぽうにいる息子むすこの身みを案あんじていた。

My mother was worried about her son far away.

Usage 身を案じる. More formal than 心配する. The proverb 案ずるより産むが易し — worrying is worse than the doing — is worth knowing.

Remember it 案 (ponder, as in 案内, 提案) → turning someone's safety over in your mind.

話題わだいを転てんじて今後こんごの方針ほうしんについて話はなし合あった。

Turning to another topic, we discussed future policy.

Usage 話題を転じる, 目を転じる, and 〜に転じる for a change of state — 赤字に転じる, slipping into the red. 転ずる is the same verb.

Remember it 転 (turn, as in 転換) → swung round to face another way.

子供こどもたちは時間じかんを忘わすれて遊あそびに興きょうじていた。

The children amused themselves at play, forgetting the time.

Usage 〜に興じる. Slightly old-fashioned and literary. Objects are pastimes: 遊びに興じる, 談笑に興じる. Read きょうじる.

Remember it 興 (rouse interest, as in 興味) → carried along by the fun of it.

他社たしゃに先さきんじて新しん製品せいひんを発表はっぴょうした。

They announced the new product ahead of other companies.

Usage 〜に先んじて is the form to know. The proverb 先んずれば人を制す — get in first and you control the situation.

Remember it 先 (ahead) → putting yourself in front of the others.

この学校がっこうは礼儀れいぎを重おもんじる校風こうふうで知しられている。

The school is known for an ethos that values good manners.

Usage 〜を重んじる. Its direct opposite 軽んじる appears constantly alongside it. More formal than 大切にする.

Remember it 重 (heavy) → treating it as carrying weight.

現場げんばの意見いけんを軽かろんじたことが失敗しっぱいの原因げんいんだ。

Slighting the views from the front line is the cause of the failure.

Usage 〜を軽んじる. Read かろんじる. The counterpart of 重んじる, and the pair is a standard exam contrast.

Remember it 軽 (light) → treating it as weighing nothing.

批判ひはんは甘あまんじて受うけ入いれるつもりだ。

I intend to accept the criticism without complaint.

Usage 〜に甘んじる — resigning yourself to something less than you wanted. 甘んじて受ける, accepting without protest, is near-fixed.

Remember it 甘 (sweet, and by extension lenient) → swallowing it as though it tasted fine.

幾多いくたの苦難くなんを経へて、ついに目的もくてきを遂とげた。

After many hardships, he finally accomplished his aim.

Usage 目的を遂げる, 成長を遂げる, and the grim 不慮の死を遂げる, to meet an unexpected death. Related nouns: 完遂, 未遂.

Remember it 遂 (accomplish, as in 完遂) → carried right through to the end.

景気けいき回復かいふくの気配けはいが兆きざし始はじめている。

Signs of economic recovery are beginning to show.

Usage 〜が兆す. The subject is a sign, never a person. The noun 兆し — 回復の兆し — is even more common. Economic reporting favours it.

Remember it 兆 (omen, as in 前兆, 兆候) → the first hint showing above the surface.

言葉ことばにしなくても、彼かれの心情しんじょうは察さっすることができた。

Even without his saying it, I could sense how he felt.

Usage 気持ちを察する, 事情を察する, and the set お察しします — I understand what you must be going through. Reading unspoken feeling is a cultural expectation the word encodes.

Remember it 察 (perceive, as in 観察, 洞察) → seeing what was never said.

規則きそくに従したがって厳きびしく処しょすることになった。

It was decided to deal with it strictly in accordance with the rules.

Usage 厳しく処する, 死刑に処する for passing sentence, and 世に処する for making your way in the world. Legal and formal.

Remember it 処 (handle, as in 処理, 処分) → dealing with it as it deserves.

両者りょうしゃは弁護士べんごしを介かいして交渉こうしょうを続つづけた。

The two sides continued negotiating through their lawyers.

Usage 〜を介して — via, through an intermediary — is the form to know. Also 意に介さない, the fixed phrase for paying something no mind.

Remember it 介 (come between, as in 仲介, 介入) → going by way of someone in the middle.

どんな圧力あつりょくにも屈くっすることなく報道ほうどうを続つづけた。

He kept reporting without yielding to any pressure.

Usage 圧力に屈する, 困難に屈する, and frequently negated — 屈しない — to praise someone's resolve. Nouns: 屈服, 不屈.

Remember it 屈 (bend, as in 屈折) → bending under the weight.

答こたえに窮きゅうして、彼かれは黙だまり込こんでしまった。

At a loss for an answer, he fell silent.

Usage 答えに窮する is the commonest use; 生活に窮する means to be in straitened circumstances. The proverb 窮すれば通ず — pushed to the limit, a way opens.

Remember it 窮 (extremity, as in 窮地) → driven into the corner with nothing left.

彼かれは裏方うらかたに徹てっしてチームを支ささえた。

He devoted himself entirely to the supporting role and held the team up.

Usage 〜に徹する — committing wholly to one role, as in 裏方に徹する. Also 夜を徹して, right through the night. Nouns: 徹底, 貫徹.

Remember it 徹 (penetrate, as in 徹底) → going right through it and nothing else.

その行為こういは社内しゃない規定きていに反はんしている。

That conduct contravenes company regulations.

Usage 〜に反する — note the に. 規定に反する, 期待に反する, and the very common 予想に反して, contrary to expectation.

Remember it 反 (against, as in 反対) → set the other way from what was laid down.

失敗しっぱいの原因げんいんをすべて個人こじんに帰きするのは適切てきせつではない。

Attributing the cause of failure entirely to individuals is not appropriate.

Usage 〜に帰する for attributing, and the idiom 水泡に帰する — coming to nothing, literally returning to bubbles. Formal written register.

Remember it 帰 (return to, as in 帰結) → traced back to where it is said to belong.

当社とうしゃは国内こくない最大さいだいの生産せいさん設備せつびを有ゆうしている。

Our company has the largest production facilities in the country.

Usage 〜を有する. The formal written substitute for 持っている, standard in legal documents and corporate profiles. 所有する is close.

Remember it 有 (possess, as in 所有) → having it in the formal sense.

結論けつろんを出だすにはなお時間じかんを要ようする。

Reaching a conclusion will still require time.

Usage 時間を要する, 注意を要する, 検討を要する. Its derived 要するに — in short — is one of the most useful connectives in Japanese writing.

Remember it 要 (need, as in 必要) → what the task demands of you.

その映画えいがは世界せかい的てきな人気にんきを博はくした。

The film won worldwide popularity.

Usage 人気を博する, 好評を博する, 名声を博する — the noun is nearly always one of these. Journalistic and written.

Remember it 博 (wide, as in 博識) → winning something spread wide across many people.

同どうチームは有力ゆうりょく選手せんしゅを多数たすう擁ようしている。

The team has a great many strong players.

Usage 人材を擁する, 選手を擁する. The subject is an organisation with talent gathered under it. Sports and business journalism.

Remember it 擁 (hold in the arms, as in 擁護) → gathered under your wing.

この制度せいどには大おおきな問題もんだいが潜ひそんでいる。

A serious problem lurks in this system.

Usage 危険が潜む, 問題が潜む — the N1 sense, of something hidden but present. Transitive 潜める, as in 声を潜める, lowering the voice. Nouns: 潜在, 潜伏.

Remember it 潜 (submerge, as in 潜水) → lying below the surface.

関係かんけい各国かっこくが事態じたいの悪化あっかを阻止そししようと動うごいた。

The countries concerned moved to block a worsening of the situation.

Usage 〜を阻止する. Stronger than 防ぐ: stopping something already under way. Objects: 悪化, 侵入, 進出. Relatives: 阻む, 阻害.

Remember it 阻 (block) + 止 (stop) → blocked and brought to a halt.

古ふるい階段かいだんが一歩いっぽごとに軋きしんだ。

The old staircase creaked at every step.

Usage Literally of wood and hinges. Figuratively, 関係が軋む — a relationship grating. The noun 軋轢 means discord between people.

Remember it 軋 (grind, creak) carries the cart radical 車 → wheels grinding against each other.

長年ながねんのストレスが心身しんしんを蝕むしばんでいた。

Years of stress had been eating away at his mind and body.

Usage 心身を蝕む, 組織を蝕む. The subject is something harmful — illness, stress, corruption — working slowly from inside. Also written 虫食む.

Remember it 蝕 carries the insect radical 虫 → worms eating it hollow from within.

地域ちいき全体ぜんたいで子こどもの可能かのう性せいを育はぐくんでいきたい。

I want the whole community to nurture children's potential.

Usage 才能を育む, 夢を育む, 文化を育む. Warmer than 育てる, and always something good grown slowly. From a bird sheltering its young under its wing.

Remember it 育 (raise) in its softer native reading → held and fed until it grows.

両国りょうこくを隔へだてているのは海うみだけではない。

It is not only the sea that separates the two countries.

Usage 〜を隔てる, and 心を隔てる for keeping someone at emotional distance. Intransitive 隔たる, noun 隔たり. Relatives: 隔離, 間隔.

Remember it 隔 (separate, as in 隔離) → a barrier set between.

一度いちど生しょうじた不信ふしん感かんは簡単かんたんには拭ぬぐえない。

Distrust, once it arises, is not easily dispelled.

Usage Literally 汗を拭う. The N1 sense is figurative: 不安を拭う, 疑念を拭う, usually negated — 拭えない. Its formal relative is 払拭.

Remember it 拭 (wipe) carries the hand radical 扌 → wiped away by hand.

祭まつりの日ひ、商店しょうてん街がいは大勢おおぜいの客きゃくで賑にぎわった。

On the festival day, the shopping street bustled with crowds.

Usage 〜で賑わう. The subject is a place, the cause a crowd. The noun 賑わい; 賑やか is the everyday adjective, while 賑わう is a shade more formal.

Remember it 賑 carries the shell radical 貝 for money → a place lively with trade.

会場かいじょうには緊張きんちょう感かんが漂ただよっていた。

A sense of tension hung in the hall.

Usage Literally drifting on water. The exam sense is atmospheric: 雰囲気が漂う, 香りが漂う — something hanging in the air rather than moving with purpose.

Remember it 漂 carries the water radical 氵 → carried along by the current, going nowhere in particular.

次世代じせだいを担になう人材じんざいの育成いくせいが急務きゅうむだ。

Training people who will carry the next generation is urgent.

Usage 役割を担う, 責任を担う, and above all 次世代を担う, a stock phrase. From carrying a load on the shoulder. Nouns: 担当, 負担.

Remember it 担 (shoulder, as in 負担) → taking the weight on your shoulder.

制度せいど改革かいかくには痛いたみが伴ともなう。

Reform of the system entails pain.

Usage 〜を伴う for entailing, and 〜に伴って — along with, in step with — a high-frequency grammar pattern. Both subject and object may be abstract.

Remember it 伴 (accompany, as in 同伴) → coming along with it, like it or not.

万一まんいちに備そなえて食料しょくりょうを蓄たくわえておく。

We store food in case of emergency.

Usage 力を蓄える, 知識を蓄える, 食料を蓄える, and oddly ひげを蓄える for growing a beard. The noun 蓄え means savings. Relatives: 蓄積, 貯蓄.

Remember it 蓄 (store up, as in 蓄積) carries the grass radical → grain laid by for later.

長年ながねんこの研究けんきゅうに携たずさわってきた。

I have been engaged in this research for many years.

Usage 〜に携わる — note the に. More formal than 関わる, and specifically about taking part in work or an undertaking with your own hands.

Remember it 携 (carry, join hands, as in 提携) → having a hand in it.

彼かれは手土産てみやげを携たずさえて訪おとずれた。

He arrived carrying a gift.

Usage 〜を携えて for bringing something with you, and 手を携える for joining hands in cooperation. Written register. The same 携 as 携わる and 携帯.

Remember it 携 (carry in hand) → taking it along with you.

準備じゅんびに半年はんとし以上いじょうを費ついやした。

They spent more than six months on preparation.

Usage 時間を費やす, 労力を費やす. Usually implies a large amount, and often a shade of regret at the cost. Nouns: 費用, 消費, 浪費.

Remember it 費 (expend, as in 消費) carries the shell radical 貝 → paid out of your store.

医師いしを志こころざして勉強べんきょうを続つづけている。

He is studying with the aim of becoming a doctor.

Usage 〜を志す. The object is a calling or an ideal: 医師を志す, 作家を志す. The noun 志 (こころざし) means one's aspiration.

Remember it 志 sets 士 over 心 → what the heart is set on.

祖父そふは駅前えきまえで小ちいさな書店しょてんを営いとなんでいた。

My grandfather ran a small bookshop by the station.

Usage 店を営む, 事業を営む, and 生活を営む for carrying on a life. More formal than やる or する. The noun 営み means the conduct of living.

Remember it 営 (manage, as in 経営) → keeping the concern running.

競合きょうごう他社たしゃは市場しじょうの独占どくせんを目論もくろんでいた。

The rival company was scheming to monopolise the market.

Usage 〜を目論む. Slightly negative — planning with an angle. The noun 目論見 means an intention or a prospectus. 計画する is the neutral word.

Remember it 目 (eye) + 論 (reckon) → sizing it up with an eye to your own advantage.

最終さいしゅう判断はんだんは現場げんばの責任せきにん者しゃに委ゆだねた。

The final judgement was left to the manager on site.

Usage 判断を委ねる, 運命を委ねる. Stronger than 任せる — handing over the decision itself. Nouns: 委任, 委託.

Remember it 委 (entrust, as in 委任) → placing it entirely in another's hands.

個性こせいの強つよいメンバーを束たばねるのは容易よういではない。

Leading a group of strong personalities is not easy.

Usage Literally 書類を束ねる, bundling papers. The N1 sense is leading: 組織を束ねる, チームを束ねる — holding a group together as one bundle.

Remember it 束 (bundle) → gathering the loose strands into one and tying them.

要望ようぼう書しょには百ひゃく名めいが名前なまえを連つらねた。

A hundred people added their names to the petition.

Usage 名を連ねる is the phrase to know — adding your name to a list. Also 軒を連ねる for houses standing in a row. Intransitive: 連なる.

Remember it 連 (link, as in 連続) → set one after another in a line.

彼かれは社長しゃちょうと会長かいちょうを兼かねている。

He serves as both president and chairman.

Usage Two uses. Holding two roles: 〜を兼ねる. And as an auxiliary, 〜かねる means unable to — 分かりかねます is a polite way of saying you cannot say.

Remember it 兼 (combine, as in 兼任) → holding both at once in one hand.