動詞 V

労力ろうりょくと報酬ほうしゅうが釣つり合あっていない。

The effort and the reward are not in balance.

Usage 〜と釣り合う, noun 釣り合い. Used of weights, of value for money, and of two people being well matched.

Remember it 釣 (the scales of a balance) + 合う (match) → the two pans level.

議論ぎろんが噛かみ合あわないまま時間じかんだけが過すぎた。

The discussion never meshed and the time simply passed.

Usage Mostly negative: 議論が噛み合わない — two people arguing past each other. From gears meshing. A frequent exam item.

Remember it 噛む (bite) + 合う (together) → gear teeth biting into each other, or failing to.

二人ふたりの思おもいは最後さいごまで擦すれ違ちがったままだった。

The two never stopped talking past each other to the end.

Usage Literally passing each other on the street. The N1 sense is 気持ちが擦れ違う, feelings that never quite meet. The noun すれ違い is common in relationship writing.

Remember it 擦れる (brush past) + 違う (miss) → brushing by each other without meeting.

家賃やちんの値下ねさげを大家おおやに掛かけ合あった。

I negotiated with the landlord for a rent reduction.

Usage 〜に掛け合う. Going directly to someone to press a request — more colloquial and more personal than 交渉する.

Remember it 掛ける (address to) + 合う (mutually) → putting it to them face to face.

若手わかてながら一流いちりゅう選手せんしゅと互角ごかくに渡わたり合あった。

Young as he was, he held his own against first-rate players.

Usage 〜と渡り合う, often with 互角に, on equal terms. From crossing swords. Admiring — it credits someone with standing up to a stronger opponent.

Remember it 渡る (cross) + 合う (mutually) → blades crossing between the two of you.

つまらないことで同僚どうりょうと張はり合あっても仕方しかたがない。

There is no point competing with a colleague over trifles.

Usage 〜と張り合う. Petty rivalry, unlike the neutral 競う. Often about matters not worth the contest.

Remember it 張る (stretch, put up a front) + 合う (mutually) → each straining against the other.

余計よけいなことは話はなさないよう言いい含ふくめておいた。

I made sure to instruct him not to say anything unnecessary.

Usage 〜ように言い含める. Explaining carefully until the other person accepts it, rather than simply ordering.

Remember it 言う (say) + 含める (include, make sink in) → saying it until it is taken in.

専門せんもん用語ようごを噛かみ砕くだいて説明せつめいしてくれた。

He explained the technical terms in simple language.

Usage 噛み砕いて説明する is the phrase to know — breaking something down so it can be digested. Literally chewing it to pieces.

Remember it 噛む (chew) + 砕く (crush) → chewed small enough to swallow.

統計とうけいから社会しゃかいの変化へんかを読よみ解とく。

Reading the changes in society out of the statistics.

Usage 〜から〜を読み解く. Not simply reading but interpreting — drawing a meaning out of data, a text, a situation. Academic and journalistic.

Remember it 読む (read) + 解く (unravel) → reading it until it comes apart and shows its sense.

長年ながねんの謎なぞをついに解とき明あかした。

The long-standing mystery was finally unravelled.

Usage 謎を解き明かす, 仕組みを解き明かす. Stronger than 解く — the stress is on laying the answer out in the open.

Remember it 解く (unravel) + 明かす (bring to light) → untangled and held up to the light.

強つよい使命しめい感かんが彼かれを突つき動うごかしていた。

A powerful sense of mission was driving him.

Usage 〜を突き動かす. The subject is an emotion, never a person, and the passive 突き動かされる is very common.

Remember it 突く (thrust) + 動かす (move) → something shoving you into motion from inside.

監督かんとくの一言ひとことで選手せんしゅたちは奮ふるい立たった。

A single word from the coach fired the players up.

Usage Intransitive — the spirit rises. Transitive 奮い立たせる means to rouse someone. Same 奮 as in 興奮 and 奮闘.

Remember it 奮う (rouse) + 立つ (stand) → the spirit getting to its feet.

思おもい立たってその日ひのうちに旅たびに出でた。

On a sudden impulse I set off on a trip that same day.

Usage The proverb 思い立ったが吉日 — the day you decide is the lucky day — is a favourite exam item. The decision is sudden and self-generated.

Remember it 思う (think) + 立つ (stand up) → the thought standing up and demanding action.

周囲しゅういの説得せっとくで退職たいしょくを思おもい留とどまった。

Persuaded by those around him, he thought better of resigning.

Usage 〜を思い留まる. The object is a decision already close to being acted on. Read おもいとどまる.

Remember it 思う (think) + 留まる (stay put) → the thought stopping you where you stand.

最後さいごのところで踏ふみとどまり、冷静れいせいさを取とり戻もどした。

At the last moment he held back and recovered his composure.

Usage Two senses, both common: restraining yourself from a rash act, and その場に踏みとどまる, holding your ground rather than retreating.

Remember it 踏む (plant your foot) + とどまる (stay) → the foot that refuses to take the next step.

資金しきん難なんをなんとか切きり抜ぬけた。

We somehow got through the shortage of funds.

Usage 危機を切り抜ける, 難局を切り抜ける — cutting your way out of a tight spot. Often paired with なんとか.

Remember it 切る (cut) + 抜ける (get out) → cutting a way through and out the other side.

幾多いくたの修羅場しゅらばを潜くぐり抜ぬけてきた人ひとだ。

He is a man who has come through any number of ordeals.

Usage 修羅場を潜り抜ける — surviving repeated trials, and implying hard-won experience. Also 法の網を潜り抜ける, slipping through a legal loophole.

Remember it 潜る (duck under) + 抜ける (come out) → ducking under it and out the far side.

途中とちゅうで投なげ出ださず最後さいごまでやり遂とげた。

He did not abandon it halfway but saw it through to the end.

Usage 〜をやり遂げる. The same meaning as 成し遂げる but more colloquial; the emphasis is on not giving up.

Remember it やる (do) + 遂げる (carry through) → done, and done all the way.

記者きしゃは納得なっとくするまで食くい下さがった。

The reporter pressed on until he was satisfied.

Usage 〜に食い下がる. Refusing to let go — of a question, an opponent. Admiring of the persistence. From wrestling: biting on and hanging.

Remember it 食う (bite) + 下がる (hang) → teeth in and hanging off them.

相手あいての弱よわみにつけ込こむようなやり方かたは卑怯ひきょうだ。

Methods that prey on the other side's weakness are contemptible.

Usage 弱みにつけ込む, 隙につけ込む — note the に. Always negative. Also written 付け込む.

Remember it つける (attach) + 込む (right into) → getting your hooks into the gap.

転校てんこう生せいはすぐにクラスに溶とけ込こんだ。

The new pupil fitted into the class straight away.

Usage 〜に溶け込む. Positive — settling into a group or a place. Also the chemical sense, dissolving into a liquid.

Remember it 溶ける (dissolve) + 込む (into) → dissolved in until you cannot be told apart.

退職たいしょくしてから急きゅうに老ふけ込こんだように見みえる。

Since retiring he seems to have aged all of a sudden.

Usage Visibly ageing in looks or spirit. Different from 老いる, which is simply growing old — 老け込む points at a sudden decline.

Remember it 老ける (age) + 込む (sink into) → sinking down into old age.

急きゅうに黙だまり込こんでしまった彼かれに、誰だれも声こえをかけられなかった。

He fell silent so abruptly that nobody could say a word to him.

Usage The auxiliary 〜込む here means sinking into a state and staying there. 黙り込む is falling silent and remaining so, unlike plain 黙る.

Remember it 黙る (go quiet) + 込む (sink into) → sunk down into silence.

彼女かのじょは腕うでを組くんだまま長ながい間あいだ考かんがえ込こんでいた。

She sat with her arms folded, lost in thought for a long time.

Usage Brooding deeply enough to lose track of your surroundings, usually with a heavy look. Same 〜込む family as 黙り込む, 老け込む, 落ち込む.

Remember it 考える (think) + 込む (sink into) → sunk deep into the thought.

社長しゃちょうは彼かれの人柄ひとがらにすっかり惚ほれ込こんでいる。

The president is completely taken with his personal qualities.

Usage 〜に惚れ込む. Stronger than 惚れる, and not necessarily romantic — you can be smitten with someone's talent or with a product.

Remember it 惚れる (be smitten) + 込む (deeply) → fallen all the way in.

説明せつめいを一いち度ど聞きいただけで要点ようてんを呑のみ込こんだ。

He grasped the main point after hearing the explanation just once.

Usage Literally swallowing; the N1 sense is grasping something. 呑み込みが早い — quick on the uptake — is very common. Also written 飲み込む.

Remember it 呑む (swallow) + 込む (down into) → taken in and digested.

後半こうはんに一気いっきに巻まき返かえして逆転ぎゃくてん勝がちした。

They fought back hard in the second half and won it round.

Usage Rallying after falling behind. The noun 巻き返し, as in 巻き返しを図る, is common in sports and business reporting.

Remember it 巻く (wind) + 返す (back) → winding the rope back in your direction.

読よみ終おわった書類しょるいをかばんに放ほうり込こんだ。

I tossed the papers I had finished with into my bag.

Usage 〜に放り込む. Throwing something in carelessly — rough in tone, unlike the neutral 入れる. The plain verb 放る means to fling away.

Remember it 放る (fling) + 込む (into) → flung in without looking.

祭まつりの夜よる、人々ひとびとが街まちへと繰くり出だした。

On the night of the festival, people poured out into the streets.

Usage Two senses: 街へ繰り出す, a crowd streaming out for a night of it, and 技を繰り出す, unleashing move after move. Both suggest a continuous stream.

Remember it 繰る (reel out) + 出す (out) → paid out steadily like rope off a spool.

政府せいふがようやく対策たいさくに乗のり出だした。

The government has at last set about taking measures.

Usage 〜に乗り出す, committing yourself formally to an undertaking. The literal sense is 身を乗り出す, leaning forward out of interest. Tell them apart by the object.

Remember it 乗る (get aboard) + 出す (set off) → climbing aboard and putting out.

この制度せいどは新あらたな格差かくさを生うみ出だしかねない。

This system could well create new inequalities.

Usage 〜を生み出す — bringing into being something that did not exist: value, profit, a problem. Broader than 作る, and the object is usually abstract.

Remember it 生む (give birth) + 出す (bring out) → brought newly into the world.

間接かんせつ照明しょうめいが落おち着ついた雰囲気ふんいきを醸かもし出だしている。

The indirect lighting creates a calm atmosphere.

Usage Almost only with 雰囲気 or ムード. From 醸す, to brew — the atmosphere seeps out slowly rather than being made.

Remember it 醸す (brew) + 出す (give off) → given off the way a brew gives off its scent.

スクリーンに当時とうじの映像えいぞうが映うつし出だされた。

Footage from the period was projected onto the screen.

Usage Literally projecting onto a screen; the N1 sense is reflecting, as in 時代を映し出す作品, a work that mirrors its age. The second sense is the one tested.

Remember it 映す (reflect, project) + 出す (out) → thrown out onto the surface for all to see.

作者さくしゃは庶民しょみんの暮くらしを生いき生いきと描えがき出だしている。

The author portrays the lives of ordinary people vividly.

Usage 〜を描き出す — depicting something in sharp relief, in words or images. Close to 浮き彫りにする. Read えがきだす, not かきだす.

Remember it 描く (depict) + 出す (bring out) → drawn out until the shape is clear.

事故じこの原因げんいんを一ひとつずつ洗あらい出だす必要ひつようがある。

We need to identify the causes of the accident one by one.

Usage 問題点を洗い出す, 原因を洗い出す — combing through to bring everything to light. Very common in meetings and reports.

Remember it 洗う (wash) + 出す (bring out) → washed until what was buried shows.

不正ふせい業者ぎょうしゃを市場しじょうから締しめ出だす方針ほうしんだ。

The policy is to shut dishonest operators out of the market.

Usage 〜から締め出す. Excluding, barring entry. The literal sense is locking someone out of the house. The noun is 締め出し.

Remember it 締める (shut tight) + 出す (put out) → put outside and the door shut.

こちらの魂胆こんたんはすっかり見み透すかされていた。

Our real motive had been seen through completely.

Usage 〜を見透かす, often passive: 見透かされる. Distinct from 見抜く — 見透かす is specifically reading a hidden intention.

Remember it 見る (look) + 透かす (see through) → looking clean through the surface.

手土産てみやげを適当てきとうに見み繕つくろっておいてください。

Please pick out something suitable as a gift.

Usage 〜を見繕う — choosing on someone's behalf when they have not specified what. Common when asking someone to buy a present or order food. Read みつくろう.

Remember it 見る (look) + 繕う (make good) → looking over the options and making a decent job of choosing.

守衛しゅえいに見み咎とがめられて足あしを止とめた。

Challenged by the guard, I stopped where I was.

Usage 〜を見咎める — noticing something suspicious and calling it out. Usually passive. The plain verb 咎める means to reproach.

Remember it 見る (see) + 咎める (call to account) → seeing it and taking you up on it.

彼女かのじょは取とり澄すました顔かおで席せきに着ついた。

She took her seat with a prim expression.

Usage Almost always as 取り澄ました before a noun: a cool, affectedly proper manner. The tone is critical.

Remember it 取る + 澄ます (put on a composed air) → composure deliberately put on.

研とぎ澄すまされた感覚かんかくで異変いへんに気きづいた。

With senses honed sharp, he noticed something was wrong.

Usage 感覚を研ぎ澄ます, 神経を研ぎ澄ます. Usually met as 研ぎ澄まされた before a noun. From grinding a blade until it is bright and keen.

Remember it 研ぐ (grind) + 澄ます (make clear) → ground until it is clear and sharp.

最初さいしょは緊張きんちょうしていたが、すぐに打うち解とけて話はなし始はじめた。

Tense at first, they soon warmed up and began to talk.

Usage 〜と打ち解ける — dropping your guard and becoming friendly. The subject is a person, never a thing. 打ち解けた雰囲気 is a relaxed mood.

Remember it 打つ (strike) + 解ける (come undone) → the stiffness knocked loose.

人目ひとめを憚はばかって裏口うらぐちから出でた。

Keeping out of sight, he left by the back door.

Usage 人目を憚る, 世間を憚る — holding back for fear of what others will think. 憚りながら means 'if I may make so bold'. Read はばかる.

Remember it 憚 on the heart radical 忄 → the heart holding itself back.

手てが凍こごえて、うまく鍵かぎが回まわせなかった。

My hands were numb with cold and I could not turn the key properly.

Usage 手足が凍える. The subject is a person or a body part, unlike 凍る, which is used of things freezing solid. 凍えるような寒さ is biting cold.

Remember it 凍 (freeze) with the ice radical 冫 → frozen through to the fingers.

度重たびかさなる失敗しっぱいに気力きりょくが萎なえてしまった。

After repeated failures my will to go on wilted.

Usage 気力が萎える, 意欲が萎える. Literally a plant wilting or limbs going weak. The subject is the spirit or the body, not the person.

Remember it 萎 (wither) under the grass radical → a plant gone limp.

頭あたまが冴さえていて、夜中よなかまで眠ねむれなかった。

My mind was so alert that I could not sleep until the small hours.

Usage Three senses: 頭が冴える, a sharp mind; 腕が冴える, skill at its best; and the very common negative 冴えない, meaning dull or lacklustre.

Remember it 冴 with the ice radical 冫 → clear and cold, like air you can see through.

長年ながねんの努力どりょくがようやく報むくわれた。

Years of effort were finally rewarded.

Usage The passive of 報いる. 努力が報われる — the subject is the effort, not the person. The negative 報われない is just as common.

Remember it 報 (repay, as in 報酬) → getting back what your work put in.

顔色かおいろから疲つかれているようにお見み受うけします。

From your colour, you appear to be tired.

Usage 〜と見受ける — judging from appearances. The polite お見受けします is used when remarking on the person in front of you; 〜が見受けられる is the written form.

Remember it 見る (see) + 受ける (take it as) → taking it as what you see.

朝あさ霧ぎりが谷たに全体ぜんたいに立たち込こめていた。

Morning mist hung over the whole valley.

Usage 霧が立ち込める, 煙が立ち込める, and abstractly 緊張感が立ち込める. The subject is something that spreads and fills a space. Also written 立ちこめる.

Remember it 立つ (rise) + 込める (fill up) → risen until it fills everything.

父ちちの代だいから続つづく技わざを受うけ継ついでいる。

He carries on a craft that has run since his father's generation.

Usage 伝統を受け継ぐ, 技術を受け継ぐ, 遺志を受け継ぐ. The object is usually intangible. Distinguish 引き継ぐ, handing over concrete duties.

Remember it 受ける (receive) + 継ぐ (continue) → taking it on and keeping it going.

締しめ切きりが差さし迫せまっているので残業ざんぎょうしている。

The deadline is upon us, so I am working late.

Usage Most often as 差し迫った before a noun: 差し迫った問題, 差し迫った危険. The subject is a deadline or a danger.

Remember it 差す + 迫る (press close) → closing in on you now.

嫌味いやみを笑わらって受うけ流ながすのが大人おとなの対応たいおうだ。

Laughing off a snide remark is the adult response.

Usage 批判を受け流す, 嫌味を受け流す — taking it and letting it go by rather than meeting it head on. From martial arts: deflecting with the blow. Not 無視する, which ignores outright.

Remember it 受ける (receive) + 流す (let flow) → caught and let run off you.

忠告ちゅうこくを聞きき流ながした結果けっか、同おなじ失敗しっぱいを繰くり返かえした。

Because I let the advice go in one ear and out the other, I repeated the same mistake.

Usage 〜を聞き流す. Negative when what you let pass is advice. Same pattern as 受け流す and 読み流す.

Remember it 聞く (hear) + 流す (let flow) → heard and let run straight through.

小ちいさな異常いじょうを見み過すごしたことが大だい事故じこを招まねいた。

Overlooking a small irregularity led to a major accident.

Usage Missing something, or deliberately turning a blind eye. 見過ごせない — impossible to ignore — is the form the exam likes. Close to 見逃す, which adds a note of letting someone off.

Remember it 見る (see) + 過ごす (let pass) → seeing it and letting it go by.

混こんだ電車でんしゃを一いち本ぼんやり過すごしてから乗のった。

I let one crowded train go before getting on.

Usage Two senses: letting something physically pass, and waiting out an unpleasant stretch of time — 嵐をやり過ごす. Only 過 is written in kanji.

Remember it やる (let it go) + 過ごす (let pass) → standing still until it has gone by.

後任こうにん人事じんじが社内しゃないで取とり沙汰ざたされている。

The question of a successor is being talked about within the company.

Usage Nearly always passive: 取り沙汰される, to be the subject of rumour. 沙汰 means news or affairs; compare 音沙汰がない, not a word from someone.

Remember it 取る (take up) + 沙汰 (talk, news) → taken up and passed round as talk.

入院にゅういんが長引ながびき、費用ひようが嵩かさんできた。

The hospital stay dragged on and the costs mounted.

Usage 費用が嵩む, 経費が嵩む, 荷物が嵩む. The subject is a quantity or a bulk, never a person. Relative: 嵩張る, to be bulky.

Remember it 嵩 is 山 (mountain) over 高 (high) → piling up into a mountain.

一方いっぽうの意見いけんに偏へんした報道ほうどうは信用しんようできない。

Reporting that leans to one side's view cannot be trusted.

Usage 〜に偏する. Formal and written; everyday speech uses 偏る. The related noun 偏見 means prejudice.

Remember it 偏 (lean to one side, as in 偏見) → weighted over to one edge.