する動詞 I

業務ぎょうむを外部がいぶに委託いたくしている。

We outsource the work to an external contractor.

Usage AをBに委託する — entrusting work to an outside party. Transitive, taking を then に. 委託販売 is sale on consignment. Read いたく.

Remember it 委 (entrust) + 託 (commit to) → handed over for someone else to carry.

調査ちょうさを専門せんもん家かに委嘱いしょくした。

The investigation was commissioned to a specialist.

Usage AをBに委嘱する — commissioning someone outside the organisation. Transitive. Unlike 委託, it is aimed at a named individual with expertise.

Remember it 委 (entrust) + 嘱 (request of a person) → the request put to a particular person.

判断はんだんは現場げんばに一任いちにんする。

The judgement is left entirely to those on the ground.

Usage AをBに一任する — handing over complete discretion. Transitive. The point is that it is the whole of it, not part. Read いちにん.

Remember it 一 (whole) + 任 (entrust) → the whole of it entrusted at once.

重おもい資材しざいを運搬うんぱんする。

Transporting heavy materials.

Usage 〜を運搬する — conveying goods. Transitive, and the object is always physical. More formal than 運ぶ. Distinct from 運送, the haulage business.

Remember it 運 (carry) + 搬 (convey) → carried from here to there.

手続てつづきの円滑えんかつ化かを図はかる。

Working to streamline the procedures.

Usage 〜の円滑化を図る — seeking to make something run smoothly. The suffix 〜化 means turning into. Administrative language. Read えんかつか.

Remember it 円滑 (smooth) + 化 (make into) → made smooth.

証拠しょうこ品ひんが押収おうしゅうされた。

The evidence was seized.

Usage 〜を押収する — confiscation by investigators. Transitive, and very often passive. The agent is always an authority. Read おうしゅう.

Remember it 押 (press, hold down) + 収 (take in) → held down and taken away.

悪質あくしつな詐欺さぎが横行おうこうしている。

Vicious frauds are rampant.

Usage 〜が横行する — running rife. INTRANSITIVE: it takes が and no object. The subject is always something bad. Read おうこう.

Remember it 横 (crosswise) + 行 (go) → going where it likes, across whatever is in the way.

不正ふせいに加担かたんしたとして処分しょぶんされた。

He was disciplined for complicity in the wrongdoing.

Usage 〜に加担する — abetting. Note that the particle is に, not を. The object is always something wrong. Read かたん.

Remember it 加 (join) + 担 (shoulder) → shouldering part of the load with them.

裏うらで画策かくさくしていたことが発覚はっかくした。

It came out that he had been scheming behind the scenes.

Usage 〜を画策する — manoeuvring, plotting. Transitive. Always negative, with the sense of working covertly. Read かくさく.

Remember it 画 (draw up) + 策 (a scheme) → the plan drawn up out of sight.

大衆たいしゅうの覚醒かくせいを促うながした。

It roused the public to awareness.

Usage 覚醒する — to awaken. Intransitive. Used both literally, of waking, and figuratively, of coming to awareness. Read かくせい.

Remember it 覚 (awake) + 醒 (sober up) → coming to, in the head as well as the eyes.

紙面しめんの都合つごうで詳細しょうさいは割愛かつあいする。

For reasons of space the details are omitted.

Usage 〜を割愛する — leaving something out reluctantly. The crucial point: it implies REGRET, not that the material was unimportant. A frequent exam item. Read かつあい.

Remember it 割 (cut off) + 愛 (what you are fond of) → cutting away the part you would rather have kept.

ドルを円えんに換算かんさんした。

I converted the dollars into yen.

Usage AをBに換算する — converting units. Transitive, taking を then に. 換算レート is the conversion rate. Read かんさん.

Remember it 換 (exchange) + 算 (calculate) → reckoned again in the other currency.

退職たいしょくを勧告かんこくされた。

He was advised to resign.

Usage 〜を勧告する — a formal recommendation from an authority, far stronger than 勧める. 避難勧告 is an evacuation advisory. Read かんこく.

Remember it 勧 (urge) + 告 (announce) → urging it, and saying so officially.

この辞典じてんは教授きょうじゅが監修かんしゅうした。

This dictionary was compiled under a professor's supervision.

Usage 〜を監修する — overseeing a publication for accuracy. The 監修者 is the person answerable for the scholarship. Read かんしゅう.

Remember it 監 (oversee) + 修 (compile) → watching over the compiling.

道路どうろが陥没かんぼつして通行つうこう止どめになった。

The road caved in and was closed to traffic.

Usage 〜が陥没する — subsiding, caving in. INTRANSITIVE, taking が. Used of ground, roads and hollows in the body. Read かんぼつ.

Remember it 陥 (fall in) + 没 (sink) → falling in and sinking away.

感情かんじょうの起伏きふくが激はげしい。

His moods swing violently.

Usage 〜の起伏が激しい — marked ups and downs. Used of hilly terrain and of emotion. Chiefly a noun; 起伏する is uncommon. Read きふく.

Remember it 起 (rise) + 伏 (lie flat) → up, then down, then up again.

著作ちょさく権けんは会社かいしゃに帰属きぞくする。

Copyright belongs to the company.

Usage 〜に帰属する — to belong to, to be vested in. INTRANSITIVE, taking に. Legal vocabulary. 帰属意識 is a sense of belonging. Read きぞく.

Remember it 帰 (return to) + 属 (belong) → returning to where it belongs.

地域ちいきの発展はってんに寄与きよしたい。

I want to contribute to the region's development.

Usage 〜に寄与する — to contribute to. Note the に. A shade more formal than 貢献, and common in academic writing. Read きよ.

Remember it 寄 (bring near) + 与 (give) → bringing your part and adding it in.

責任せきにん者しゃを糾弾きゅうだんする声こえが高たかまった。

Voices denouncing those responsible grew louder.

Usage 〜を糾弾する — public denunciation and calling to account. Transitive. Much stronger than 批判. Read きゅうだん.

Remember it 糾 (investigate, twist together) + 弾 (accuse) → pulling the threads together and firing the charge.

技わざの精巧せいこうさに驚嘆きょうたんした。

I marvelled at the delicacy of the craftsmanship.

Usage 〜に驚嘆する — astonishment mixed with admiration. Note the に. Unlike plain 驚く, 驚嘆 always carries respect. Read きょうたん.

Remember it 驚 (astonished) + 嘆 (exclaim) → astonished into saying so aloud.

国民こくみんが等ひとしく享有きょうゆうする権利けんりだ。

It is a right all citizens enjoy equally.

Usage 〜を享有する — enjoying a right as a matter of course. Legal vocabulary. Do not confuse 共有 (きょうゆう), joint ownership. Read きょうゆう.

Remember it 享 (receive, enjoy) + 有 (have) → receiving it and holding it as yours.

大臣だいじんが更迭こうてつされた。

The minister was replaced.

Usage 〜を更迭する — removing an official and replacing them, usually after a failure. Very often passive. Read こうてつ, not こうそう — the reading is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 更 (renew) + 迭 (alternate) → one taken out and the next put in.

実測じっそく値ちと近似きんじした結果けっかが得えられた。

A result approximating the measured value was obtained.

Usage 〜に近似する — to approximate. Mathematical and scientific vocabulary. 近似値 is an approximate value. Read きんじ.

Remember it 近 (near) + 似 (resemble) → near enough to pass for it.

三さんか国語こくごを駆使くしして交渉こうしょうした。

He negotiated with full command of three languages.

Usage 〜を駆使する — using something to its full extent and with skill. Transitive. The objects are languages, techniques and knowledge. Read くし.

Remember it 駆 (drive, as a horse) + 使 (use) → driving the tool at full gallop.

光ひかりが水面すいめんで屈折くっせつする。

Light refracts at the surface of the water.

Usage 光が屈折する, refraction, intransitive; and 屈折した感情, feelings twisted out of shape. The second sense is the tested one. Read くっせつ.

Remember it 屈 (bend) + 折 (break) → bent out of its straight line.

伝統でんとう技術ぎじゅつを次つぎの世代せだいが継承けいしょうする。

The next generation will carry on the traditional techniques.

Usage 〜を継承する — succeeding to a position, a tradition or a right. Transitive. More formal than 受け継ぐ. Read けいしょう.

Remember it 継 (continue) + 承 (receive) → received, and carried on.

若わかい頃ころは哲学てつがくに傾倒けいとうしていた。

In my youth I was devoted to philosophy.

Usage 〜に傾倒する — being absorbed in, devoted to. Note the に. The objects are ideas, arts and individuals. Read けいとう.

Remember it 傾 (lean) + 倒 (fall) → leaning so far toward it that you fall in.

チームの結束けっそくが勝因しょういんだ。

The team's unity was what won it.

Usage 〜が結束する — banding together. Intransitive. 結束を固める is to strengthen solidarity. The image is of tying into one bundle. Read けっそく.

Remember it 結 (tie) + 束 (bundle) → tied into a single bundle.

献身けんしん的てきな看護かんごに頭あたまが下さがる。

Their devoted nursing humbles me.

Usage 献身的な〜 — the 〜的 form is by far the commonest. 〜に献身する is to devote oneself to. Read けんしん.

Remember it 献 (offer up) + 身 (the body) → offering yourself up to it.

部長ぶちょうと支店してん長ちょうを兼務けんむしている。

He holds the posts of department head and branch manager together.

Usage AとBを兼務する — holding two posts at once. Transitive. Same family: 兼任, 兼業. Read けんむ.

Remember it 兼 (combine) + 務 (duty) → two duties carried in one pair of hands.

期待きたいと不安ふあんが交錯こうさくする。

Anticipation and anxiety are intermingled.

Usage AとBが交錯する — crossing and mingling. INTRANSITIVE, taking が. The subjects are usually emotions or streams of information. Read こうさく.

Remember it 交 (cross) + 錯 (mix) → the strands crossing and getting mixed.

体からだを酷使こくししてきた報むくいだ。

This is what comes of driving my body too hard.

Usage 〜を酷使する — working something to exhaustion. Transitive. The objects are bodies, workers and machines. Negative. Read こくし.

Remember it 酷 (harsh) + 使 (use) → used harshly and without rest.

力ちからを誇示こじするような態度たいどだ。

It is an attitude that flaunts his power.

Usage 〜を誇示する — showing off, parading. Transitive. Critical, unlike the neutral 誇る. Read こじ.

Remember it 誇 (boast) + 示 (show) → boasting by showing it.

危険きけんを察知さっちして引ひき返かえした。

Sensing the danger, he turned back.

Usage 〜を察知する — sensing, inferring from signs. Transitive. Objects: 危険, 気配, 異変. The same 察 as 察する. Read さっち.

Remember it 察 (discern) + 知 (know) → knowing it from what can be discerned.

計画けいかくの段階だんかいから参画さんかくした。

I took part from the planning stage.

Usage 〜に参画する — taking part in the planning, not merely being present. Note the に. More formal than 参加. Read さんかく.

Remember it 参 (take part) + 画 (draw up the plan) → in on it while the plan is still being drawn.

品質ひんしつでは他社たしゃに負まけないと自負じふしている。

We pride ourselves on matching anyone for quality.

Usage 〜と自負している — taking pride in one's own ability. Usually in the ている form. Not necessarily a criticism. Read じふ.

Remember it 自 (self) + 負 (carry) → carrying your own worth on your own back.

執念しゅうねんで最後さいごまで食くらいついた。

Sheer tenacity kept him hanging on to the end.

Usage 執念で〜する — through dogged persistence. Chiefly a noun. 執念深い means persistent to the point of obsession. Read しゅうねん.

Remember it 執 (grip) + 念 (thought) → a thought the mind will not let go of.

事態じたいの収拾しゅうしゅうに追おわれた。

He was kept busy bringing the situation under control.

Usage 事態を収拾する — restoring order to a mess. 収拾がつかない means it is beyond retrieving. Do not confuse 収集 (しゅうしゅう), collecting.

Remember it 収 (gather in) + 拾 (pick up) → picking up what has been scattered.

操作そうさに習熟しゅうじゅくするまで時間じかんがかかる。

It takes time to become proficient at the controls.

Usage 〜に習熟する — mastering through practice. Note the に. The stress is on the practising, not on aptitude. Read しゅうじゅく.

Remember it 習 (practise) + 熟 (ripen) → practised until it has ripened.

祖父そふは長ながく農業のうぎょうに従事じゅうじしていた。

My grandfather was long engaged in farming.

Usage 〜に従事する — working in a trade or field. Note the に. Written, common in statistics. Read じゅうじ.

Remember it 従 (follow) + 事 (occupation) → following that occupation.

創立そうりつ記念きねんの祝賀しゅくが会かいが開ひらかれた。

A celebration was held to mark the founding anniversary.

Usage 祝賀会, 祝賀行事 — a celebratory party or event. It lives mostly in compounds; 祝賀する alone is uncommon. Read しゅくが.

Remember it 祝 (celebrate) + 賀 (congratulate) → the occasion made for congratulating.

改革かいかくを主導しゅどうしたのは若手わかてだ。

It was the younger staff who led the reforms.

Usage 〜を主導する — leading, taking the principal role. Transitive. 主導権を握る is to seize the initiative. Read しゅどう.

Remember it 主 (chief) + 導 (lead) → the one at the head doing the leading.

新あたらしい環境かんきょうに順応じゅんのうした。

He adapted to the new environment.

Usage 〜に順応する — adapting. Note the に. Read じゅんのう, not じゅんおう — the reading is a frequent exam item. Close to 適応.

Remember it 順 (comply) + 応 (respond) → falling in with it and answering to it.

悲かなしみを芸術げいじゅつに昇華しょうかさせた。

He sublimated his grief into art.

Usage AをBに昇華させる — raising something into a higher form. Usually in the させる form. From the chemical term for sublimation. Read しょうか.

Remember it 昇 (rise) + 華 (flower) → rising past the solid state straight into something finer.

勇気ゆうきある行動こうどうが称賛しょうさんされた。

The courageous act was praised.

Usage 〜を称賛する — praising publicly. Transitive, and very often passive. Also written 賞賛. More formal than 褒める. Read しょうさん.

Remember it 称 (name, extol) + 賛 (approve) → naming the deed aloud in approval.

神経しんけいを消耗しょうもうする仕事しごとだ。

It is work that drains the nerves.

Usage 〜を消耗する — wearing down or consuming; it works both transitively and intransitively. 消耗品 is a consumable. Read しょうもう; the older しょうこう is now rare.

Remember it 消 (extinguish) + 耗 (wear away) → used up and worn away.