する動詞 II

彼かれの作品さくひんに触発しょくはつされて描かき始はじめた。

Inspired by his work, I began to paint.

Usage 〜に触発される — being sparked off or inspired. It is ALMOST ALWAYS passive, with に. Read しょくはつ.

Remember it 触 (touch) + 発 (set off) → touched, and it goes off.

波なみが海岸かいがんを侵食しんしょくしている。

The waves are eroding the coastline.

Usage 〜を侵食する — eating away at. Transitive. Both geological and figurative: 市場を侵食する, encroaching on market share. Read しんしょく.

Remember it 侵 (encroach) + 食 (eat) → eating its way in.

状況じょうきょうの推移すいいを見守みまもりたい。

I want to watch how the situation develops.

Usage 〜が推移する — changing over time. INTRANSITIVE. Often used as a noun: 推移を見守る. Read すいい.

Remember it 推 (push forward) + 移 (shift) → shifting along as time pushes it.

対立たいりつの空気くうきが醸成じょうせいされた。

An atmosphere of antagonism was fostered.

Usage 〜を醸成する — gradually building up a mood or state of mind. From brewing. The object is always abstract. Read じょうせい.

Remember it 醸 (brew) + 成 (form) → brewed slowly until it has formed.

全国ぜんこく大会たいかいを制覇せいはした。

They took the national title.

Usage 〜を制覇する — conquering, winning outright. Transitive. Used of sport and of markets. Read せいは.

Remember it 制 (control) + 覇 (supremacy) → holding the field as sole master.

和洋わよう折衷せっちゅうの建物たてものだ。

It is a building blending Japanese and Western styles.

Usage 和洋折衷 — a Japanese-Western blend — is the commonest phrase. 折衷案 is a compromise proposal. Read せっちゅう.

Remember it 折 (bend) + 衷 (the middle) → each side bent toward the middle.

他社たしゃに先行せんこうして発売はつばいした。

They launched it ahead of the other companies.

Usage 〜に先行する — to precede. Intransitive, taking に. 先行研究 is prior research, an academic term. Read せんこう.

Remember it 先 (ahead) + 行 (go) → going on ahead of the rest.

治療ちりょうに専念せんねんすることにした。

I decided to concentrate on my treatment.

Usage 〜に専念する — devoting yourself to one thing. Note the に. Often used when someone sets everything else aside. Read せんねん.

Remember it 専 (exclusive) + 念 (thought) → the whole of your attention on one thing.

集団しゅうだんから疎外そがいされていると感かんじた。

I felt shut out by the group.

Usage 〜から疎外される — being alienated or excluded. Usually passive. 疎外感 is a sense of not belonging. The same 疎 as 疎い. Read そがい.

Remember it 疎 (distant) + 外 (outside) → kept at a distance, on the outside.

雇用こようの創出そうしゅつが課題かだいだ。

Creating employment is the task at hand.

Usage 〜を創出する — bringing something new into being. Transitive. Objects: 雇用, 価値, 需要. Administrative language. Read そうしゅつ.

Remember it 創 (create) + 出 (bring out) → brought newly out into existence.

変化へんかに即応そくおうできる体制たいせいを作つくる。

Building a structure that can respond immediately to change.

Usage 〜に即応する — responding at once and appropriately. Note the に. 即 means on the instant. Written. Read そくおう.

Remember it 即 (immediately) + 応 (respond) → the answer given on the instant.

現状げんじょうを打開だかいする策さくがない。

There is no plan for breaking the deadlock.

Usage 〜を打開する — breaking out of a stalemate. Transitive. Objects: 現状, 局面, 難局. 打開策 is a way out. Read だかい.

Remember it 打 (strike) + 開 (open) → striking it until it opens.

労使ろうし交渉こうしょうがようやく妥結だけつした。

The labour negotiations have finally been settled.

Usage 〜が妥結する — reaching an agreement after bargaining. INTRANSITIVE. 妥 means yielding. Common in news. Read だけつ.

Remember it 妥 (yield) + 結 (conclude) → each side yielding enough to tie it up.

旧きゅう習しゅうからの脱却だっきゃくを目指めざす。

Aiming to break free of old habits.

Usage 〜から脱却する — escaping from. Note the から. The objects are old habits and bad states. Read だっきゃく.

Remember it 脱 (slip out of) + 却 (cast off) → out of it and cast off behind you.

資金しきん難なんで出場しゅつじょうを断念だんねんした。

Short of funds, they gave up taking part.

Usage 〜を断念する — abandoning a cherished intention. Transitive. Heavier than やめる, because regret is always part of it. Read だんねん.

Remember it 断 (sever) + 念 (the thought) → cutting off the thought you had been holding.

川底かわぞこに土砂どしゃが堆積たいせきしている。

Silt is accumulating on the riverbed.

Usage 〜が堆積する — accumulating, being deposited. INTRANSITIVE, taking が. Geological vocabulary. 堆積物 is sediment. Read たいせき.

Remember it 堆 (a heap) + 積 (pile up) → settling into a heap.

対象たいしょう者しゃを無作為むさくいに抽出ちゅうしゅつした。

The subjects were selected at random.

Usage 〜を抽出する — extracting or sampling. Transitive. 無作為抽出 is random sampling, a term from statistics. Read ちゅうしゅつ.

Remember it 抽 (draw out) + 出 (out) → drawn out from the mass.

商品しょうひんが見みやすく陳列ちんれつされている。

The goods are displayed so as to be easy to see.

Usage 〜を陳列する — putting on display. Transitive, often passive. 陳列棚 is a display case. Read ちんれつ.

Remember it 陳 (set out) + 列 (in a row) → set out in rows for viewing.

他たの追随ついずいを許ゆるさない技術ぎじゅつだ。

It is a technology that no one else can match.

Usage 他の追随を許さない — allowing no one to follow, i.e. unrivalled — is all but fixed and a frequent exam item. 〜に追随する is to follow after. Read ついずい.

Remember it 追 (chase) + 随 (follow) → coming along behind in their tracks.

自分じぶんの未熟みじゅくさを痛感つうかんした。

I felt my own inexperience keenly.

Usage 〜を痛感する — feeling something acutely. Transitive. The object is usually something unflattering about oneself. Read つうかん.

Remember it 痛 (pain) + 感 (feel) → felt as something that hurts.

新あたらしい理論りろんを提唱ていしょうした。

He advocated a new theory.

Usage 〜を提唱する — putting forward and advocating. Transitive. Objects: 理論, 説, 概念. Academic language. Read ていしょう.

Remember it 提 (put forward) + 唱 (proclaim) → putting it forward and speaking for it.

身分みぶん証しょうを呈示ていじしてください。

Please present your identification.

Usage 〜を呈示する — presenting for inspection. Transitive. Also written 提示, which is the commoner form. Read ていじ.

Remember it 呈 (offer up) + 示 (show) → held out to be looked at.

規制きせいの撤廃てっぱいが求もとめられている。

Abolition of the regulations is being called for.

Usage 〜を撤廃する — doing away with a system or rule entirely. Transitive. Stronger than 廃止 because it adds the sense of withdrawing it. Read てっぱい.

Remember it 撤 (withdraw) + 廃 (abolish) → pulled out and scrapped.

作品さくひんに作者さくしゃの人生じんせいが投影とうえいされている。

The author's own life is reflected in the work.

Usage AにBが投影される — B is projected onto A. Usually passive. Both the optical and the figurative sense. Read とうえい.

Remember it 投 (cast) + 影 (shadow) → the shadow cast onto the surface.

全ぜん部門ぶもんを統括とうかつする立場たちばだ。

He is in a position overseeing every department.

Usage 〜を統括する — exercising overall control. Transitive. 統括部長 is a general manager. Read とうかつ.

Remember it 統 (unify) + 括 (bind together) → all the parts bound under one head.

周まわりの意見いけんに同調どうちょうしがちだ。

I am apt to fall in with the opinions around me.

Usage 〜に同調する — going along with. Note the に. 同調圧力, peer pressure to conform, is a very current phrase. Read どうちょう.

Remember it 同 (same) + 調 (tune) → tuning yourself to the same note as the rest.

家賃やちんの督促とくそく状じょうが届とどいた。

A demand for the rent arrived.

Usage 〜を督促する — pressing for payment or action. Transitive. 督促状 is a dunning letter. Stern in tone. Read とくそく.

Remember it 督 (supervise) + 促 (urge) → standing over you and urging.

子こども向むけに特化とっかした商品しょうひんだ。

It is a product specialised for children.

Usage 〜に特化する — specialising in one area. Note the に. Standard business vocabulary. Read とっか.

Remember it 特 (special) + 化 (turn into) → narrowed down to the one special thing.

この提案ていあんは矛盾むじゅんを内包ないほうしている。

This proposal contains a contradiction within it.

Usage 〜を内包する — containing within, usually a problem. Transitive. Academic written style. Its counterpart is 外延, extension. Read ないほう.

Remember it 内 (inside) + 包 (wrap) → wrapped up inside it from the start.

実権じっけんを完全かんぜんに掌握しょうあくした。

He took complete control of the real power.

Usage 〜を掌握する — holding firmly in hand. Transitive. Objects: 実権, 人心, 情報. 掌 is the palm. Read しょうあく.

Remember it 掌 (palm) + 握 (grip) → held in the palm and the fingers closed.

この問題もんだいから別べつの課題かだいが派生はせいした。

Another problem arose out of this one.

Usage 〜から派生する — deriving from. INTRANSITIVE, taking から. 派生語 is a derivative word. Read はせい.

Remember it 派 (branch of a stream) + 生 (arise) → a new branch growing off the main channel.

記事きじは大おおきな反響はんきょうを呼よんだ。

The article drew a great response.

Usage 反響を呼ぶ — to cause a stir — is the commonest phrase. It means public response, and literally an echo. Read はんきょう.

Remember it 反 (return) + 響 (sound) → the sound coming back off the wall.

識者しきしゃが事件じけんを論評ろんぴょうした。

Commentators gave their analysis of the incident.

Usage 〜を論評する — commenting with analysis. Transitive. 論評を避ける is to decline to comment. More formal than コメント. Read ろんぴょう.

Remember it 論 (argue) + 評 (appraise) → reasoning it out and giving a verdict.

記憶きおくの風化ふうかが懸念けねんされる。

There is concern that the memory will fade.

Usage Weathering of rock; and the N1 sense 記憶が風化する, a memory eroding with time. INTRANSITIVE. The second is the tested one. Read ふうか.

Remember it 風 (wind) + 化 (change) → worn away by the passing of the wind.

スマートフォンが急速きゅうそくに普及ふきゅうした。

Smartphones spread rapidly.

Usage 〜が普及する — becoming widespread. INTRANSITIVE, taking が. For the active sense use 普及させる. Read ふきゅう.

Remember it 普 (widely) + 及 (reach) → reaching everywhere.

二ふたつの部署ぶしょが併合へいごうされた。

The two departments were merged.

Usage 〜を併合する — merging or annexing. Transitive. Used of organisations and of territory. Close to 合併, the same characters reversed. Read へいごう.

Remember it 併 (combine) + 合 (join) → put side by side and made one.

目標もくひょうに向むかって邁進まいしんする所存しょぞんです。

I intend to press forward toward the goal.

Usage 〜に向かって邁進する — striding on without pause. Intransitive. Formal, common in pledges and speeches. Read まいしん.

Remember it 邁 (stride) + 進 (advance) → advancing with long strides and not stopping.

主要しゅような論点ろんてんを網羅もうらしている。

It covers all the main points of the argument.

Usage 〜を網羅する — covering comprehensively. Transitive. 網 is a net and 羅 a fowler's net: the image is of sweeping everything in. Read もうら.

Remember it 網 (net) + 羅 (fowling net) → the net thrown so that nothing escapes.

解決かいけつ策さくを模索もさくしている段階だんかいだ。

We are at the stage of casting about for a solution.

Usage 〜を模索する — groping for something when the way is unclear. Transitive. 暗中模索, groping in the dark, is the four-character version. Read もさく.

Remember it 模 (feel for) + 索 (search) → feeling about for it with your hands.

新しん興こう企業きぎょうが躍進やくしんしている。

Start-ups are making rapid advances.

Usage 〜が躍進する — surging forward. INTRANSITIVE. 躍 is to leap. Positive in tone. Read やくしん.

Remember it 躍 (leap) + 進 (advance) → advancing by leaps rather than steps.

銀行ぎんこうから融資ゆうしを受うけた。

We obtained financing from the bank.

Usage 融資を受ける / する — taking or providing a loan. The lender is always a financial institution. 融 is to let flow, 資 is capital. Read ゆうし.

Remember it 融 (let flow) + 資 (capital) → capital let flow to where it is needed.

人権じんけんを擁護ようごする立場たちばだ。

Our position is one of defending human rights.

Usage 〜を擁護する — protecting or standing up for. Transitive. The object is usually something abstract and worth defending. Read ようご.

Remember it 擁 (hold in the arms) + 護 (guard) → holding it and standing guard over it.

対立たいりつを揚棄ようきして新あらたな段階だんかいへ進すすむ。

Overcoming the antagonism and moving to a new stage.

Usage 〜を揚棄する — transcending something while preserving what is of value in it. A term from Hegelian philosophy, also called 止揚. Read ようき.

Remember it 揚 (raise up) + 棄 (discard) → raising the worthwhile part and throwing the rest away.

職権しょっけんの濫用らんようが問題もんだいになった。

Abuse of official authority became an issue.

Usage 〜を濫用する — using beyond what is permitted. Transitive. Also written 乱用. Objects: 職権, 薬物. Read らんよう.

Remember it 濫 (overflow) + 用 (use) → use that has overflowed its proper bounds.

根ねも葉はもない噂うわさが流布るふしている。

A baseless rumour is going round.

Usage 〜が流布する — circulating widely. INTRANSITIVE. The subject is usually a rumour or false information. Read るふ, not りゅうふ.

Remember it 流 (flow) + 布 (spread out) → flowing out and spreading across everything.

問題もんだい点てんを列挙れっきょしてみよう。

Let us list the problems one by one.

Usage 〜を列挙する — enumerating. Transitive. Written register. Related: 枚挙にいとまがない, too many to count. Read れっきょ.

Remember it 列 (row) + 挙 (raise up) → raised up one after another in a row.