動詞 IV

料理人りょうりにんは毎朝まいあさ包丁ほうちょうを研とぐ。

The chef sharpens his knives every morning.

Usage 包丁を研ぐ, and the everyday 米を研ぐ — washing rice by rubbing the grains. Also 研ぎ澄ます, honing the senses to an edge.

Remember it 研 (grind, as in 研究, 研磨) → rubbed against the stone until it is keen.

他人たにんを貶おとしめて自分じぶんを高たかく見みせようとする。

He tries to look better by belittling others.

Usage 人を貶める. Read おとしめる. Clearly negative, and an action rather than a feeling — where 蔑む is inward contempt, 貶める drags someone down.

Remember it 貶 (demote, disparage) with the shell radical 貝 → marking someone's worth down.

事実じじつが伝つたわる過程かていで話はなしが歪ゆがんでしまった。

The story got distorted as the facts were passed along.

Usage Physically, of something warping; figuratively, 事実が歪む, 性格が歪む. Transitive 歪める. The Sino-Japanese noun is 歪曲.

Remember it 歪 is written 不 over 正 → not straight.

早はやめに謝あやまらなかったせいで関係かんけいが拗こじれた。

Because I did not apologise early, the relationship soured.

Usage 関係が拗れる, 話が拗れる, and even 風邪が拗れる for a cold that drags on. Read こじれる. Something small left untreated turning knotty.

Remember it 拗 (twist) on the hand radical 扌 → twisted out of shape and hard to untwist.

設定せっていを下手へたに弄いじると元もとに戻もどせなくなる。

Fiddle with the settings carelessly and you will not get them back.

Usage 機械を弄る, 設定を弄る. Colloquial. Of people it means teasing. Distinguish 弄ぶ, which is far nastier despite the shared character.

Remember it 弄 (play with in the hands) → turning it over in your fingers.

人ひとの気持きもちを弄もてあそぶような態度たいどは許ゆるせない。

An attitude that toys with people's feelings is unforgivable.

Usage 人の心を弄ぶ. Strongly negative — treating someone as a plaything. The same character as 弄る but a heavier verb. Relative: 翻弄.

Remember it 弄 (toy with) → holding something living in your hands for amusement.

巧たくみな言葉ことばで投資とうし家かを欺あざむいていた。

He had been deceiving investors with skilful words.

Usage 人を欺く — more formal than だます. Also the literary 昼を欺く明るさ, light bright enough to pass for day. Nouns: 詐欺, 欺瞞.

Remember it 欺 (deceive, as in 詐欺) → leading someone by what is not so.

平静へいせいを装よそおっていたが、内心ないしんは動揺どうようしていた。

He feigned composure, but inwardly he was shaken.

Usage 平静を装う, 無関心を装う — the N1 sense, putting on an appearance. Also dressing: 美しく装う. Nouns: 装い, 服装, 偽装.

Remember it 装 (dress, equip, as in 服装) → putting an outfit on it, feelings included.

彼かれは一夜いちやにして前言ぜんげんを翻ひるがえした。

Overnight he went back on what he had said.

Usage 前言を翻す, 決定を翻す — reversing a stated position. Also 身を翻す, spinning round. Intransitive 翻る, as of a flag. Nouns: 翻意, 翻弄.

Remember it 翻 carries the feather radical 羽 → a banner flipping over in the wind.

問題もんだいの原因げんいんは十じゅう年ねん前まえまで遡さかのぼる。

The cause of the problem goes back ten years.

Usage 〜に遡る for tracing back in time, 遡って適用する for retroactive application. Its Sino-Japanese noun is 遡及.

Remember it 遡 (go upstream) → working your way back up the current.

記録きろくを辿たどれば当時とうじの経緯けいいが分わかる。

Trace the records and you can see how things stood at the time.

Usage 記憶を辿る, 歴史を辿る, and the fixed 一途を辿る — following one course, as in 悪化の一途を辿る, going from bad to worse.

Remember it 辿 (follow a path) on the road radical 辶 → feeling your way along the track.

長ながい議論ぎろんの末すえ、ようやく結論けつろんに辿たどり着ついた。

After long discussion, we finally arrived at a conclusion.

Usage 〜に辿り着く. The arrival is hard-won — used of places reached with difficulty and of conclusions reached after struggle.

Remember it 辿る (make your way) + 着く (arrive) → arriving after a long way on foot.

警察けいさつは出火しゅっかの原因げんいんを突つき止とめた。

The police pinned down the cause of the fire.

Usage 原因を突き止める, 居場所を突き止める. Persistent investigation ending in certainty. Common in news reporting.

Remember it 突く (thrust at) + 止める (stop) → chasing it until it cannot run further.

相手あいての本心ほんしんを探さぐろうと質問しつもんを重かさねた。

He kept asking questions, trying to feel out her real intentions.

Usage 本心を探る, 可能性を探る. Also literal groping in the dark. The phrase 探りを入れる means to sound someone out. Nouns: 探索, 探究.

Remember it 探 (search, as in 探検) on the hand radical 扌 → feeling about for what is hidden.

古書こしょ店てんを漁あさって絶版ぜっぱん本ぼんを探さがした。

I rummaged through second-hand bookshops looking for the out-of-print volume.

Usage 本を漁る, 情報を漁る. Read あさる. Slightly undignified — hunting through everything indiscriminately. Also ごみを漁る, scavenging.

Remember it 漁 (fish for) with the water radical 氵 → trawling through everything to see what comes up.

同社どうしゃは環境かんきょう保護ほごを経営けいえい理念りねんに掲かかげている。

The company sets environmental protection out as a management principle.

Usage 旗を掲げる literally; the N1 sense is 理念を掲げる, 目標を掲げる — putting a principle up where everyone can see it. Nouns: 掲載, 掲示.

Remember it 掲 (hold up, as in 掲示) on the hand radical 扌 → raised on a pole for all to read.

その学説がくせつに異議いぎを唱となえる研究けんきゅう者しゃも多おおい。

Many researchers raise objections to that theory.

Usage 異議を唱える is the collocation to know; also 新説を唱える. The other sense is chanting — 念仏を唱える.

Remember it 唱 (chant, advocate, as in 合唱) on the mouth radical 口 → saying it out where it can be heard.

その功績こうせきを称たたえて記念きねん碑ひが建たてられた。

A monument was erected in praise of the achievement.

Usage 功績を称える, 勇気を称える. Also written 讃える. Note the same character read しょう in 称する, which means something quite different — to call oneself.

Remember it 称 (praise, name, as in 称賛) → naming the deed aloud in honour.

難問なんもんを前まえに彼かれは腕うでを組くんで唸うなった。

Faced with the hard problem, he folded his arms and groaned.

Usage Three uses: groaning or growling; 唸るほどの金, money in embarrassing quantity; and 思わず唸る, being made to gasp in admiration. The last is positive.

Remember it 唸 on the mouth radical 口 → a low sound forced out without words.

痛いたみに耐たえかねて低ひくく呻うめいた。

Unable to bear the pain, he moaned quietly.

Usage 痛みに呻く. Smaller and more pained than 唸る. The noun 呻き声 means a moan. Written register.

Remember it 呻 on the mouth radical 口 → the sound of someone in pain.

酔よった客きゃくが大声おおごえで喚わめいていた。

A drunk customer was shouting at the top of his voice.

Usage 大声で喚く. Negative — shouting without control, unlike the neutral 叫ぶ. Relatives: 喚起, 召喚.

Remember it 喚 (call out, as in 召喚) on the mouth radical 口 → yelling loud enough to summon the street.

感情かんじょう的てきになって相手あいてを罵ののしってしまった。

I lost my temper and ended up abusing him.

Usage 人を罵る. Strong and coarse. The noun 罵声 is a stream of abuse; relatives are 罵倒 and 誹謗中傷.

Remember it 罵 sets 馬 (horse) under a net → language fit for driving animals.

若者わかものの読書どくしょ離ばなれを嘆なげく声こえが多おおい。

Many voices lament young people's drift away from reading.

Usage 〜を嘆く. More formal than 悲しむ, and usually about a state of affairs rather than a personal loss. The adjective 嘆かわしい means deplorable.

Remember it 嘆 on the mouth radical 口 → a sigh let out over how things are.

各国かっこくの首脳しゅのうが死しを悼いたむ声明せいめいを出だした。

Leaders of various countries issued statements mourning the death.

Usage 死を悼む. Formal, for news and eulogies. The noun 哀悼, as in 哀悼の意を表する, is the standard condolence formula.

Remember it 悼 on the heart radical 忄 → grief held in the heart for someone gone.

合格ごうかくを目指めざして日々ひび勉学べんがくに励はげんでいる。

Aiming to pass, he applies himself to his studies every day.

Usage 〜に励む — note the に. Its transitive partner 励ます means to encourage someone else, and the pair is a common exam contrast.

Remember it 励 (encourage, exert, as in 激励) → driving yourself at it.

定年ていねん後ごは家庭かてい菜園さいえんに勤いそしんでいる。

Since retiring he has been busy with his kitchen garden.

Usage 〜に勤しむ. Quietly diligent and slightly old-fashioned. Read いそしむ. The same 勤 as in 勤勉 and 勤務.

Remember it 勤 (diligence, as in 勤勉) → steadily putting in the work.

この問題もんだいには複雑ふくざつな利害りがいが絡からんでいる。

Complex interests are entangled in this problem.

Usage 利害が絡む, 感情が絡む — the exam sense, of factors intertwined. Also 酔って絡む, picking a fight when drunk. Transitive: 絡める.

Remember it 絡 on the thread radical 糸 → threads wound around each other.

歴史れきし的てき背景はいけいを絡からめて説明せつめいすると分わかりやすい。

Explaining it with the historical background tied in makes it easier to follow.

Usage 〜を絡めて — weaving one topic in with another. The transitive partner of 絡む. Also literal: ソースを絡める, coating food in sauce.

Remember it 絡 on the thread radical 糸 → winding one thread around another.

山々やまやまが地平ちへい線せんまで連つらなっている。

The mountains stand in a line to the horizon.

Usage 山が連なる, 家が連なる. Transitive 連ねる. Also the humble 末席に連なる, being present among a gathering.

Remember it 連 (link) → each one joined to the next in a line.

両者りょうしゃの主張しゅちょうは大おおきく隔へだたっている。

The claims of the two sides are far apart.

Usage 意見が隔たる. Transitive 隔てる, noun 隔たり — a gap, used of distance in space, time or opinion.

Remember it 隔 (separate, as in 隔離) → standing with a wall between.

観光かんこう収入しゅうにゅうが町まちの財政ざいせいを潤うるおした。

Tourist revenue enriched the town's finances.

Usage 喉を潤す, wetting the throat; the N1 sense is 経済を潤す, 財政を潤す. Intransitive 潤う.

Remember it 潤 on the water radical 氵 → watering it so it thrives.

勝利しょうりの余韻よいんに浸ひたっている暇ひまはない。

There is no time to bask in the afterglow of victory.

Usage 余韻に浸る, 感傷に浸る, 幸福に浸る — note the に. Also literal, soaking in a bath. Transitive: 浸す.

Remember it 浸 (steep) on the water radical 氵 → sunk in it up to your neck.

布ぬのを水みずに浸ひたしてから固かたく絞しぼる。

Soak the cloth in water and then wring it out hard.

Usage 〜を〜に浸す. Mostly physical, unlike its intransitive partner 浸る, which went abstract. Nouns: 浸透, 浸食.

Remember it 浸 (steep) made transitive → putting it under and letting it take up the water.

都会とかいの生活せいかつに染そまって故郷こきょうの言葉ことばを忘わすれかけた。

Steeped in city life, I had almost forgotten my home dialect.

Usage Literally taking a dye. The N1 sense is being influenced — 悪風に染まる, 都会に染まる — and usually unwelcome. Transitive: 染める.

Remember it 染 (dye) → taking the colour of whatever it soaks in.

親切しんせつが身みに染しみてありがたかった。

The kindness sank in and I was grateful.

Usage Three senses: liquid soaking through; 身に染みる, feeling something to the bone — the phrase most tested; and 目に染みる, stinging the eyes. The noun 染み is a stain.

Remember it 染 (dye, seep) → soaking in far enough to stay.

最近さいきんは料理りょうりに凝こっている。

Lately I have been into cooking.

Usage Three senses to hold: 〜に凝る, being absorbed in a hobby; 肩が凝る, stiff shoulders; and 凝った作り, elaborately made.

Remember it 凝 (congeal, as in 凝縮) → everything gathering to one point, whether attention or muscle.

暗闇くらやみの中なかで目めを凝こらした。

I strained my eyes in the darkness.

Usage Two near-fixed phrases carry this verb: 目を凝らす, peering hard, and 工夫を凝らす, lavishing ingenuity on something. Both are exam favourites.

Remember it 凝 (concentrate) made transitive → gathering it all to a single point.

この規制きせいを巡めぐって激はげしい議論ぎろんが続つづいている。

Fierce debate continues over this regulation.

Usage 〜を巡って — concerning, over the question of — is everywhere in news writing. The literal sense survives in 名所を巡る, touring the sights.

Remember it 巡 (go round, as in 巡回) → circling the matter.

彼かれは一晩ひとばん中じゅう考かんがえを巡めぐらせていた。

He turned the thought over all night.

Usage 思いを巡らす, 考えを巡らす — turning something over in the mind. Also 塀を巡らす, running a wall right round. 巡らせる is equally common.

Remember it 巡 (circle) made transitive → sending your thoughts round and round it.

神前しんぜんに供物くもつを奉たてまつる。

Offerings are made before the deity.

Usage Highly formal and religious. Ironically it also means elevating someone to a figurehead position — 社長に奉る, kicking someone upstairs. Nouns: 奉仕, 奉納.

Remember it 奉 (offer up with both hands) → held up to something higher.

事件じけんを美談びだんに仕立したてるような報道ほうどうには疑問ぎもんがある。

Reporting that dresses an incident up as a heart-warming tale invites doubt.

Usage Literally tailoring a garment. The N1 sense is 〜に仕立てる — making something into something it is not, as in 犯人に仕立てる, framing someone.

Remember it 仕 (do) + 立てる (make stand) → cut and stitched into the shape you wanted.

自発じはつ的てきに動うごくように仕向しむけるのが上手うまい。

He is good at manoeuvring people into acting on their own initiative.

Usage 〜ように仕向ける. Arranging matters so someone does what you want without being ordered — indirect by definition.

Remember it 仕 (do) + 向ける (turn toward) → turning them toward it without pushing.

今後こんごの交渉こうしょうに差さし障さわる発言はつげんは控ひかえたい。

I would rather avoid remarks that could hinder the coming negotiations.

Usage 〜に差し障る, noun 差し障り. Close to 差し支える, but this one stresses harm done to something else rather than mere inconvenience.

Remember it 差す + 障る (obstruct) → getting in the way of what comes next.

契約けいやくの締結ていけつに弁護士べんごしが立たち会あった。

A lawyer was present at the signing of the contract.

Usage 〜に立ち会う — attending officially as a witness. The noun 立会人 means a witness. Distinguish 出会う, meeting by chance.

Remember it 立つ (stand) + 会う (be present) → standing there while it happens.

再開発さいかいはつのため住民じゅうみんは立たち退のくことになった。

Residents were required to vacate for the redevelopment.

Usage 〜から立ち退く, noun 立ち退き. Usually under instruction or pressure — the word of eviction notices and redevelopment stories.

Remember it 立つ (stand) + 退く (withdraw) → getting up and clearing out.

担当たんとう者しゃが直接ちょくせつ現地げんちに出向でむいて確認かくにんした。

The person in charge went out to the site and checked in person.

Usage 〜に出向く. Going somewhere yourself rather than summoning others; more formal than 行く. Do not confuse 出向する, being seconded to another company.

Remember it 出る (go out) + 向く (head for) → leaving your own ground to go to theirs.

競合きょうごうを出だし抜ぬいて先さきに契約けいやくを取とった。

They outmanoeuvred the competition and got the contract first.

Usage 〜を出し抜く. Getting ahead by being quicker or craftier. Competitive, and not entirely above board.

Remember it 出す (put out) + 抜く (overtake) → slipping out in front while they were not looking.

裁判さいばん長ちょうは懲役ちょうえき三さん年ねんの判決はんけつを言いい渡わたした。

The presiding judge handed down a sentence of three years.

Usage 判決を言い渡す, 処分を言い渡す — pronouncing formally from a position of authority. Usually passive from the receiving end: 言い渡される.

Remember it 言う (say) + 渡す (hand over) → the words handed down to you.

責任せきにんを言いい逃のがれようとする態度たいどが反感はんかんを買かった。

His attempts to talk his way out of responsibility provoked resentment.

Usage 責任を言い逃れる, noun 言い逃れ. Clearly negative — evading by words rather than answering.

Remember it 言う (say) + 逃れる (escape) → talking your way out of the door.

式しきの準備じゅんびは彼女かのじょが一人ひとりで取とり仕切しきった。

She ran the preparations for the ceremony single-handedly.

Usage 〜を取り仕切る. Taking full charge of an operation. Neutral to admiring, though it can imply one person holding everything.

Remember it 取る + 仕切る (partition, run) → taking the whole floor and running it.

両者りょうしゃの仲なかを取とり持もったのは共通きょうつうの友人ゆうじんだった。

It was a mutual friend who acted as go-between for the pair.

Usage 仲を取り持つ — mediating between people or making a match — is near-fixed. Also 座を取り持つ, keeping the party going.

Remember it 取る + 持つ (hold) → holding the two sides together in your hands.

定年ていねん後ご、時間じかんを持もて余あましている。

Since retiring, he has more time than he knows what to do with.

Usage 時間を持て余す, 自分を持て余す. Having something in excess and being at a loss with it. Read もてあます.

Remember it 持つ (hold) + 余す (leave over) → holding more than you can use.

貯金ちょきんを使つかい果はたしてしまった。

I have used up all my savings.

Usage 貯金を使い果たす, 体力を使い果たす. The auxiliary 果たす means doing something to exhaustion.

Remember it 使う (use) + 果たす (carry to the end) → used until there is none left.

困難こんなんな改革かいかくを見事みごとに成なし遂とげた。

He carried the difficult reform through magnificently.

Usage 〜を成し遂げる. Completing something large against difficulty, and admiring in tone. Stronger than 完成する.

Remember it 成す (accomplish) + 遂げる (see through) → brought off and seen all the way through.

この議論ぎろんは前提ぜんていが崩くずれると成なり立たたない。

This argument does not hold once its premise collapses.

Usage Two senses: 〜から成り立つ, to be composed of, and 議論が成り立つ, an argument or a business holding up. The second is the exam's.

Remember it 成る (come to be) + 立つ (stand) → coming together and standing up.

代表だいひょうの挨拶あいさつで会かいを締しめくくった。

The meeting was wrapped up with closing remarks from the representative.

Usage 話を締めくくる, 会を締めくくる. The noun 締めくくり means the conclusion. From tying the final knot.

Remember it 締める (tie) + くくる (bind) → pulling the last knot tight.

三十さんじゅう年ねんかけて信頼しんらい関係かんけいを築きずき上あげた。

They built up a relationship of trust over thirty years.

Usage 信頼を築き上げる, 地位を築き上げる. The emphasis is on long accumulation. The plain verb 築く is also common.

Remember it 築く (build) + 上げる (up) → built up course by course.

小ちいさな努力どりょくを積つみ重かさねることが結局けっきょく近道ちかみちだ。

Piling up small efforts turns out to be the shortcut.

Usage 努力を積み重ねる, 議論を積み重ねる. Positive. Intransitive 積み重なる; the noun 積み重ね means accumulated effort.

Remember it 積む (stack) + 重ねる (layer) → one layer set on the last.

条件じょうけん面めんで折おり合あえず、交渉こうしょうは決裂けつれつした。

Unable to come to terms on conditions, the negotiations broke down.

Usage 〜で折り合う, and the noun phrase 折り合いをつける, reaching an accommodation. Also 人と折り合いが悪い, not getting on with someone.

Remember it 折る (bend) + 合う (meet) → each side bending until they meet.