動詞 VI

仕事しごとと割わり切きって感情かんじょうは持もち込こまないことにした。

I decided to treat it strictly as work and keep feelings out of it.

Usage 〜と割り切る — accepting something cleanly and refusing to agonise. 割り切れない means still unresolved inside you, punning on the arithmetic sense of not dividing evenly.

Remember it 割る (divide) + 切る (cleanly) → it divides with no remainder left over.

彼かれは絶対ぜったいに成功せいこうすると言いい切きった。

He declared flatly that it would definitely succeed.

Usage 〜と言い切る, stating something with no escape route. The negative 〜とは言い切れない — you cannot say so for certain — is a heavily tested form.

Remember it 言う (say) + 切る (cut it off) → said, and the sentence closed.

みんなで協力きょうりょくして難局なんきょくを乗のり切きった。

We pulled together and rode out the crisis.

Usage 危機を乗り切る, 難局を乗り切る. The object is a difficult period rather than a physical obstacle. Close to 乗り越える.

Remember it 乗る (ride) + 切る (all the way) → riding it out to the far side.

悪あく循環じゅんかんをどこかで断たち切きらなければならない。

The vicious circle has to be broken somewhere.

Usage 関係を断ち切る, 悪循環を断ち切る, 未練を断ち切る. The object is usually abstract and unwanted. Stronger than やめる — the image is of cutting through.

Remember it 断つ (sever) + 切る (cut) → cut clean through and done with.

引ひき止とめる手てを振ふり切きって部屋へやを出でた。

I shook off the hand holding me back and left the room.

Usage Two senses: shaking free of a hand or a pursuer, and in sport 二位を振り切る, pulling away from the runner-up. Both are a decisive break.

Remember it 振る (shake) + 切る (off) → shaken loose and left behind.

戦後せんごの混乱こんらんを生いき抜ぬいた世代せだいだ。

They are the generation that lived through the chaos after the war.

Usage 〜を生き抜く. The auxiliary 〜抜く means enduring to the very end. Different from 生き残る, which is merely being left alive.

Remember it 生きる (live) + 抜く (see it through) → living right through to the other end.

決きめたことは最後さいごまでやり抜ぬく性格せいかくだ。

Once he has decided something, he sees it through.

Usage 〜をやり抜く — finishing however hard it gets. Only 抜 is in kanji. Same family: 考え抜く, 生き抜く, 勝ち抜く.

Remember it やる (do) + 抜く (to the end) → done all the way through.

考かんがえ抜ぬいた末すえに転職てんしょくを決きめた。

After thinking it through exhaustively, he decided to change jobs.

Usage Thinking every possibility out. Often with 〜た末に, meaning after all that. 考え抜かれたデザイン is a thoroughly worked-out design.

Remember it 考える (think) + 抜く (exhaust it) → thought through until nothing is left to think.

予選よせんを勝かち抜ぬいて決勝けっしょうに進すすんだ。

They won through the qualifiers and reached the final.

Usage 予選を勝ち抜く. The stress is on a run of wins, not one victory. The noun 勝ち抜き戦 means a knockout tournament.

Remember it 勝つ (win) + 抜く (all the way through) → winning your way clear through the field.

嘘うそをすぐに見み抜ぬかれてしまった。

My lie was seen through at once.

Usage 嘘を見抜く, 本質を見抜く, 意図を見抜く. Against 見透かす: 見抜く is recognising the truth, 見透かす is reading the intention behind it.

Remember it 見る (see) + 抜く (right through) → seeing straight through the cover.

周まわりが反対はんたいしても自分じぶんの意見いけんを押おし通とおした。

Even with everyone against him, he forced his own view through.

Usage 主張を押し通す, 我を押し通す. Negative — stubborn insistence regardless of others. Contrast 貫き通す, which is admiring.

Remember it 押す (push) + 通す (put through) → pushed through whether it fits or not.

初志しょしを貫つらぬき通とおすのは簡単かんたんではない。

Holding to your original resolve to the end is not easy.

Usage 信念を貫き通す, 初志を貫き通す. Positive and admiring, the exact opposite in tone to 押し通す. The short form is 貫く.

Remember it 貫く (pierce) + 通す (all the way) → running straight through from one end to the other.

先さきを見み通とおす力ちからが経営けいえい者しゃには欠かかせない。

The power to see ahead is indispensable to a manager.

Usage 先を見通す, 将来を見通す. The noun 見通し is everywhere: 見通しが立たない, no prospect in sight; 見通しが甘い, an over-optimistic forecast.

Remember it 見る (see) + 通す (through) → your sight carrying all the way forward.

何なにを言いっても聞きかないので困こまり果はてている。

He will not listen to anything I say and I am at my wit's end.

Usage The auxiliary 〜果てる means to the last extreme. Same family: 疲れ果てる, 変わり果てる, 荒れ果てる.

Remember it 困る (be stuck) + 果てる (to the very end) → stuck with nowhere further to go.

久ひさしぶりに訪おとずれた故郷こきょうは変かわり果はてていた。

The home town I visited after so long had changed beyond recognition.

Usage 変わり果てた姿 — changed past recognising. Always sad or negative. Same 〜果てる family as 困り果てる and 疲れ果てる.

Remember it 変わる (change) + 果てる (utterly) → changed until nothing of it is left.

新人しんじんたちは今年ことしこそ優勝ゆうしょうすると意気いき込ごんでいる。

The newcomers are determined to win the title this year.

Usage 〜と意気込む — fired up and vocal about it. The noun 意気込み means drive or enthusiasm, as in 意気込みを語る. Common in sports interviews.

Remember it 意気 (spirit) + 込む (pack in) → spirit packed in tight.

議論ぎろんの結果けっかを具体ぐたい的てきな計画けいかくに落おとし込こむ。

Working the results of the discussion down into a concrete plan.

Usage 〜に落とし込む — bringing an abstract idea down to something actionable. Office vocabulary. Literally, dropping it into place.

Remember it 落とす (drop) + 込む (into) → dropped down into a concrete shape.

知識ちしきをただ詰つめ込こむだけでは応用おうようが利きかない。

Merely cramming in knowledge leaves you unable to apply it.

Usage 知識を詰め込む, 荷物を詰め込む. 詰め込み教育 — rote cramming as an educational method — is a critical phrase very common in N1 reading passages.

Remember it 詰める (stuff) + 込む (in) → packed in until nothing more fits.

人工じんこう衛星えいせいの打うち上あげに成功せいこうした。

The satellite was successfully launched.

Usage Launching a rocket or fireworks; and the noun 打ち上げ, the party held when a project, film or tournament wraps up. The second is everyday vocabulary.

Remember it 打つ (strike) + 上げる (up) → shot up into the air.

政府せいふは消費しょうひ税ぜいを引ひき上あげる方針ほうしんを示しめした。

The government indicated a policy of raising consumption tax.

Usage 価格を引き上げる, the opposite of 引き下げる; and 現地から引き上げる, pulling out and going home. Tell them apart by whether there is a を object.

Remember it 引く (pull) + 上げる (up) → pulled up — the rate, or yourself out of there.

この問題もんだいはマスコミに大おおきく取とり上あげられた。

The issue was given prominent coverage in the media.

Usage Taking a topic up for discussion, and confiscating — 権利を取り上げる. The first is what the exam wants, usually in the passive 取り上げられる.

Remember it 取る (take) + 上げる (up) → picked up and held where everyone can see it.

地道じみちな実績じっせきを積つみ上あげてきた。

He has built up a steady record of results.

Usage Literally stacking things; the tested sense is abstract — 実績を積み上げる, 信頼を積み上げる, accumulating bit by bit. Close to 積み重ねる.

Remember it 積む (stack) + 上げる (up) → stacked higher one piece at a time.

三さん年ねんかけて独自どくじの世界せかい観かんを作つくり上あげた。

Over three years he built up a world entirely his own.

Usage Completing something whole, and also fabricating — 話を作り上げる, making a story up. 〜上げる means bringing a task to completion; compare 書き上げる, 仕上げる.

Remember it 作る (make) + 上げる (to completion) → built right up and finished.

問題もんだい点てんを数かぞえ上あげればきりがない。

If you start listing the problems there is no end to them.

Usage 数え上げればきりがない is all but fixed and very common. Here 〜上げる means counting the whole list off.

Remember it 数える (count) + 上げる (right through) → counted off to the last one.

採用さいよう基準きじゅんを引ひき下さげるべきではない。

We should not lower the hiring standards.

Usage 価格を引き下げる, 基準を引き下げる — the direct opposite of 引き上げる. The pair turns up together in economics passages.

Remember it 引く (pull) + 下げる (down) → pulled down a notch.

もう一ひと歩あし掘ほり下さげて考かんがえてみよう。

Let us dig into it one step deeper.

Usage 問題を掘り下げる, テーマを掘り下げる — examining something down to its roots. The object is always abstract. 掘り下げが足りない means the analysis is shallow.

Remember it 掘る (dig) + 下げる (down) → digging down to what is underneath.

自みずから責任せきにんを取とると申もうし出でた。

He volunteered to take responsibility himself.

Usage 〜と申し出る — offering or volunteering on your own initiative. The noun 申し出 appears in 申し出を受ける and 申し出を断る. More formal than 言う.

Remember it 申す (state, humble) + 出る (come forward) → stepping forward to say it.

済すんだ話はなしを今いまさら蒸むし返かえさないでほしい。

I would rather you did not rake up a matter that is settled.

Usage 話を蒸し返す, 議論を蒸し返す — reopening something already closed. Tiresome in tone. Literally, resteaming food that has gone cold.

Remember it 蒸す (steam) + 返す (again) → put back over the steam a second time.

いつか見み返かえしてやると心こころに誓ちかった。

I swore to myself that one day I would show them.

Usage Literally looking back at something; the colloquial N1 sense is succeeding in order to prove wrong those who looked down on you — 見返してやる.

Remember it 見る (look) + 返す (back at them) → the look you give back once you have won.

当時とうじのことを思おもい返かえすと恥はずかしくなる。

Looking back on that time makes me cringe.

Usage Recalling the past, and also having second thoughts — 思い返してやめた. Close to 振り返る, but 思い返す stays inside the head.

Remember it 思う (think) + 返す (turn back) → turning the thought back over.

靴下くつしたを裏うら返がえしたまま洗濯せんたくしてしまった。

I washed the socks still inside out.

Usage 〜を裏返す. The phrase 裏返せば — 'put the other way round' — is a common way of flipping a point of view. The noun is 裏返し.

Remember it 裏 (reverse side) + 返す (turn) → turning the back round to the front.

在庫ざいこがあるかどうか店みせに問とい合あわせた。

I enquired at the shop whether they had it in stock.

Usage 〜に問い合わせる. The noun 問い合わせ is everywhere: お問い合わせ先 is the contact point for enquiries.

Remember it 問う (ask) + 合わせる (put to) → putting your question to them.

今回こんかいの損失そんしつは来期らいきで埋うめ合あわせたい。

I want to make up this loss in the next term.

Usage 損失を埋め合わせる, 穴を埋め合わせる. The noun 埋め合わせ, as in 埋め合わせをする, is what you promise after cancelling on someone.

Remember it 埋める (fill in) + 合わせる (match) → filling the hole until it is level again.

原本げんぽんと照てらし合あわせて誤あやまりがないか確認かくにんした。

We checked it against the original for errors.

Usage 〜と照らし合わせる — comparing two things to verify them. The objects are documents, data, rules. The と is obligatory.

Remember it 照らす (shine on) + 合わせる (put together) → holding them up together under the light.

両りょう部署ぶしょの意見いけんを擦すり合あわせる必要ひつようがある。

The views of the two departments need to be brought into line.

Usage 意見をすり合わせる, 認識をすり合わせる. The noun すり合わせ is office vocabulary. Usually written すり合わせる.

Remember it 擦る (rub) + 合わせる (fit together) → rubbing the two faces until they sit flush.

傾かたむきかけた経営けいえいを立たて直なおした。

He turned round a business that had begun to fail.

Usage 経営を立て直す, 態勢を立て直す, 計画を立て直す. The noun is 立て直し. Distinguish 建て直す with 建, rebuilding a house.

Remember it 立てる (set upright) + 直す (afresh) → standing it back up again.

今回こんかいは諦あきらめて、一いちから出で直なおすことにした。

I gave up on this attempt and decided to start again from scratch.

Usage Coming back another time when you missed someone, and 一から出直す, starting over from nothing — the tested sense. 出直してこい is a sharp 'go and try again'.

Remember it 出る (set out) + 直す (again) → setting out once more from the door.

話はなしも聞きかずに嘘うそだと決きめ付つけるのはよくない。

Deciding it is a lie without even hearing them out is wrong.

Usage 〜と決めつける — settling on a conclusion without examining it. Always critical. Usually written 決めつける.

Remember it 決める (decide) + 付ける (pin on) → the verdict pinned on before the hearing.

自分じぶんの価値かち観かんを人ひとに押おし付つけるべきではない。

You should not impose your own values on other people.

Usage 価値観を押し付ける, 責任を押し付ける, 仕事を押し付ける. Negative. The adjective 押し付けがましい means overbearing.

Remember it 押す (push) + 付ける (onto) → shoved onto someone else.

この事件じけんと彼かれを結むすびつける証拠しょうこはない。

There is no evidence linking him to the incident.

Usage AとBを結びつける. Its intransitive partner is 結びつく, and the pair is often tested together.

Remember it 結ぶ (tie) + 付ける (attach) → the two tied to each other.

この作品さくひんは代表だいひょう作さくとして位置いち付づけられている。

The work is regarded as his representative piece.

Usage 〜として位置づける — defining something's place or role within a whole. The noun 位置づけ appears in 位置づけが曖昧だ. Academic register.

Remember it 位置 (position) + 付ける (assign) → given its place on the map.

市しは節電せつでんへの協力きょうりょくを呼よびかけている。

The city is calling for cooperation in saving electricity.

Usage Calling out to someone, and 〜を呼びかける, appealing to the public to do something. The noun is 呼びかけ. The second sense fills news reports.

Remember it 呼ぶ (call) + かける (direct at) → the call sent out to everyone.

この映画えいがは生いきる意味いみを問といかけている。

The film asks what it means to live.

Usage 〜を問いかける — putting a question to make people reflect, not necessarily expecting an answer. The noun is 問いかけ. Common in criticism.

Remember it 問う (ask) + かける (put to) → the question left hanging in front of you.

彼かれが手て掛がけた建築けんちくは世界せかい中じゅうにある。

Buildings he worked on stand all over the world.

Usage 〜を手がける — taking a project or a work on personally. Respectful of the craft. Usually written 手がける.

Remember it 手 (hand) + 掛ける (set to) → set his own hand to it.

好奇こうき心しんが彼かれを危険きけんな冒険ぼうけんへと駆かり立たてた。

Curiosity drove him to a dangerous adventure.

Usage 〜を…に駆り立てる. The subject is an emotion or a motive, and the passive 駆り立てられる is common.

Remember it 駆る (drive, as cattle) + 立てる (rouse) → driven out of the pen and forward.

その一いち枚まいの写真しゃしんが想像そうぞう力りょくを掻かき立たてた。

That single photograph fired the imagination.

Usage 興味をかき立てる, 不安をかき立てる, 想像力をかき立てる. From stirring a fire into flame. Usually written かき立てる.

Remember it 掻く (rake, stir) + 立てる (make rise) → raking the embers until the flame stands up.

工事こうじのために住民じゅうみんが追おい立たてられた。

Residents were driven out to make way for the works.

Usage Driving people from where they live, and being hurried along — 時間に追い立てられる, harried by the clock. Both are usually passive.

Remember it 追う (chase) + 立てる (make move) → chased up and moved on.

相手あいての気持きもちを汲くみ取とって対応たいおうすべきだ。

We should respond with an understanding of how the other person feels.

Usage 気持ちを汲み取る, 意図を汲み取る — grasping what has not been said. Literally drawing water up. Very characteristic of Japanese communication. Also written くみ取る.

Remember it 汲む (draw water) + 取る (take) → drawing it up from below the surface.

表情ひょうじょうから彼かれの本心ほんしんを読よみ取とった。

I read his true feelings from his expression.

Usage データを読み取る, a machine reading data; and 意図を読み取る, 心情を読み取る, discerning what lies behind. The second is what reading comprehension asks for.

Remember it 読む (read) + 取る (take) → reading it off and taking it in.

粘ねばり強づよい交渉こうしょうの末すえ、好こう条件じょうけんを勝かち取とった。

After tenacious negotiation, they secured favourable terms.

Usage 勝利を勝ち取る, 信頼を勝ち取る, 自由を勝ち取る. The stress is on having had to fight for it, unlike the neutral 得る.

Remember it 勝つ (win) + 取る (take) → won, and taken by winning.

声こえの調子ちょうしから異変いへんを感かんじ取とった。

From the tone of his voice I sensed something was wrong.

Usage 〜を感じ取る — picking up something subtle. More active than 感じる because of the 取る. The object is usually faint or unspoken.

Remember it 感じる (feel) + 取る (catch) → the feeling caught and held.

この時期じきは新しん米まいが出で回まわり始はじめる。

This is the season when the new rice starts appearing in the shops.

Usage 〜が出回る — circulating widely on the market. Also of unwelcome things: 偽札が出回る, デマが出回る.

Remember it 出る (come out) + 回る (go around) → out and circulating.

彼かれは社内しゃないでうまく立たち回まわっている。

He manoeuvres cleverly within the company.

Usage うまく立ち回る — working the situation shrewdly for your own benefit, with a faint sneer. The noun 立ち回り also means a fight scene in a film.

Remember it 立つ (stand) + 回る (move about) → moving about the floor to stand where it suits you.

話はなしが核心かくしんに差さし掛かかったところで時間じかん切ぎれになった。

Just as the talk reached the heart of the matter, we ran out of time.

Usage 〜に差し掛かる — reaching a point or entering a stage. Used of places, 峠に差し掛かる, and of stages, 山場に差し掛かる.

Remember it 差す + 掛かる (come upon) → coming right up to it.

午後ごごから新あたらしい企画きかくに取とり掛かかる予定よていだ。

I plan to start on the new project this afternoon.

Usage 〜に取り掛かる — note that the particle is に, not を. Often written 取りかかる. Close to 着手する.

Remember it 取る (take up) + 掛かる (set to) → taking hold and setting to work.

介護かいごの負担ふたんが一ひと人りに重おもくのしかかっている。

The burden of care is bearing down heavily on one person.

Usage 〜にのしかかる — a burden or a responsibility weighing on someone. Also literal, throwing your weight on top of someone. Often with 重く. Written in kana.

Remember it のす (spread your weight) + かかる (onto) → the whole weight settled on top of you.

日々ひびの努力どりょくが結果けっかに結むすびつくとは限かぎらない。

Daily effort does not necessarily lead to results.

Usage 〜に結びつく — leading to, being bound up with. The intransitive partner of 結びつける. 成果に結びつく is a common phrase.

Remember it 結ぶ (tie) + つく (attach) → tied on to the thing that follows.

子こどもは母親ははおやの足あしにしがみついて離はなれなかった。

The child clung to its mother's leg and would not let go.

Usage Clinging physically, and figuratively 地位にしがみつく, 過去にしがみつく — hanging on to something you ought to release. The second is disapproving.

Remember it しがむ (grip) + つく (cling) → gripped on and not letting go.

あの光景こうけいは今いまも目めに焼やきついている。

That scene is burned into my eyes to this day.

Usage 目に焼きつく, 記憶に焼きつく — an image that will not fade. Transitive: 焼きつける. The image is of scorching a mark in.

Remember it 焼く (burn) + つく (stick) → burned on and it stays there.

記者きしゃたちが説明せつめいを求もとめて詰つめ寄よった。

The reporters pressed in demanding an explanation.

Usage 〜に詰め寄る — moving in close and demanding an answer. Tense and confrontational. 詰める is to close a gap, 寄る to draw near.

Remember it 詰める (close the gap) + 寄る (draw near) → closing right in on them.