動詞・行為 I

野菜やさいで足たりない栄養えいようを補おぎなう。

I make up the nutrients I'm short of with vegetables.

Usage 補う = to fill a gap: 不足を補う, 収入を補う, 説明を補う. Related nouns: 補助 (assistance), 補習 (extra lessons).

Remember it 衤 (cloth) + 甫 → patching a hole in cloth. That is exactly what 補う does.

説明せつめいを省はぶいて結論けつろんから話はなす。

I'll skip the explanation and start from the conclusion.

Usage 省く = cutting something out to save effort or space: 手間を省く (to save trouble), 無駄を省く.

Remember it One kanji, two jobs: 省 read はぶく cuts things out; read かえりみる it looks back over yourself (反省).

この決定けっていは社会しゃかいに影響えいきょうを及およぼす。

This decision will have an effect on society.

Usage 及ぼす is the transitive one: 影響を及ぼす, 被害を及ぼす. Its intransitive partner is 及ぶ.

Remember it 及 draws a hand catching up with the person in front — reach.

被害ひがいは五県ごけんに及およんだ。

The damage extended to five prefectures.

Usage 及ぶ = to reach or stretch as far as: 三時間に及ぶ会議. Also ～に及ばない = not a match for.

Remember it 及ぶ reaches; 及ぼす makes something reach. The one with す does it to something else.

責任せきにんが伴ともなう仕事しごとだ。

It's a job that comes with responsibility.

Usage 伴う = to come along with: 危険を伴う. ～に伴って means 'as one thing changes, so does the other'.

Remember it 亻 (person) + 半 (half) → the other half, walking beside you.

食堂しょくどうは会議室かいぎしつを兼かねている。

The canteen doubles as a meeting room.

Usage 兼ねる = one thing filling two roles: 趣味と実益を兼ねる. As a verb suffix, ～かねる means 'cannot bring oneself to': わかりかねます.

Remember it The character shows two stalks of grain held in one hand — two jobs, one holder.

心こころを込こめて手紙てがみを書かいた。

I wrote the letter with all my heart.

Usage 込める = pouring feeling or force in: 心を込める, 力を込める. As a suffix 込む means 'into': 書き込む, 申し込む.

Remember it 入 (to enter) inside the road radical → putting something all the way in.

傷口きずぐちに応急おうきゅう処置しょちを施ほどこした。

We applied first aid to the wound.

Usage 施す = to apply or administer something formally: 治療を施す, 対策を施す. The same 施 reads し or せ in 施設 and 施工.

Remember it 方 (a banner) + 也 → a flag streaming outward: sending something out from yourself to others.

先生せんせいが生徒せいとに発言はつげんを促うながした。

The teacher prompted the students to speak up.

Usage 促す = to urge someone into action: 注意を促す (to call attention to), 成長を促す. Softer than ordering, firmer than asking.

Remember it 亻 (person) + 足 (foot) → putting a foot behind someone to get them moving.

大おおきな音おとが睡眠すいみんを妨さまたげる。

Loud noise disturbs sleep.

Usage 妨げる = to get in the way of something already under way: 通行を妨げる, 成長を妨げる.

Remember it Its noun 妨害 turns up constantly — 営業妨害, 電波妨害: anything that blocks what was already running.

言いい方かたを間違まちがえて気分きぶんを損そこなった。

I put it badly and spoiled their mood.

Usage 損なう = to damage something valuable: 健康を損なう, 信用を損なう. As a suffix ～しそこなう = to fail to do: 食べそこなう.

Remember it The 損 of 損 (loss) → 損なう is doing the losing to something: health, trust, a good mood.

部屋へやの温度おんどを一定いっていに保たもつ。

I keep the room at a steady temperature.

Usage 保つ = to maintain a state: 健康を保つ, 距離を保つ, 平和を保つ. The same 保 as 保険 and 保護.

Remember it 亻 (person) holding 呆 (a child) → all the 保 words are about keeping something safe.

この研究けんきゅうに十年じゅうねんを費ついやした。

I spent ten years on this research.

Usage 費やす = to spend time, money or effort, often with a hint of waste: 時間を費やす. The noun 費用 = expenses.

Remember it Same 費 as 費用 and 交通費 — money going out, and with 費やす, time going out with it.

旅費りょひは会社かいしゃが賄まかなう。

The company covers the travel costs.

Usage 賄う = to cover a cost or provide what is needed: 食事を賄う, 予算内で賄う. Careful — 賄賂 (わいろ) is a bribe.

Remember it 貝 (money) + 有 (to have) → having the money to cover it.

災害さいがいに備そなえて水みずを蓄たくわえる。

I store water in case of disaster.

Usage 蓄える = to store up for later: 力を蓄える, 知識を蓄える. The noun 貯蓄 = savings.

Remember it 艹 (grass) over 畜 (livestock) → the old way of saving: grain in the store and animals in the field.

留学りゅうがくで国際こくさい感覚かんかくを培つちかった。

Studying abroad cultivated an international outlook in me.

Usage 培う = to cultivate slowly — skills, friendship, character: 実力を培う, 信頼を培う. The noun 栽培 = cultivation.

Remember it 土 (earth) on the left → grown in soil, over time. Nothing instant about it.

平気へいきを装よそおっていたが、内心ないしんは不安ふあんだった。

I acted as if I were fine, but inside I was anxious.

Usage Two senses: to dress up (美しく装う) and to feign (無関心を装う). The nouns 服装 (clothing) and 内装 (interior) share the 装.

Remember it 衣 (clothing) at the bottom → putting on an outfit, whether of cloth or of face.

年齢ねんれいを偽いつわって応募おうぼした。

He lied about his age when he applied.

Usage 偽る = to falsify: 身分を偽る, 偽りのない (genuine, without falsehood). 偽物 (にせもの) = a fake.

Remember it 亻 (person) + 為 (to do) → what a person does that isn't true.

巧たくみな言葉ことばで客きゃくを欺あざむく。

They deceive customers with clever talk.

Usage 欺く = to deceive deliberately; a strong, written word: 人を欺く, 世間を欺く.

Remember it Its noun is 詐欺 (fraud), a weekly fixture in the news — 欺く is what the fraudster does.

この計画けいかくには危険きけんが潜ひそんでいる。

Danger lurks in this plan.

Usage 潜む = to lie hidden, waiting: 危険が潜む, 才能が潜む. Related: 潜る (to dive), 潜在 (latent).

Remember it 氵 (water) → something below the surface, out of sight.

高たかいビルが日差ひざしを遮さえぎっている。

A tall building blocks the sunlight.

Usage 遮る = to block light, view or speech: 話を遮る (to cut someone off), 視界を遮る.

Remember it 辶 (movement) → stepping into the path of something already on its way.

川かわが二ふたつの町まちを隔へだてている。

A river separates the two towns.

Usage 隔てる = to separate with something in between, in space or in time: 十年の時を隔てて. The noun 間隔 = interval.

Remember it 阝 (a wall or hill) → a barrier standing between two sides.

人形にんぎょうを糸いとで操あやつる。

They work the puppet with strings.

Usage 操る = to operate with skill, and also to manipulate: 機械を操る, 二か国語を操る (to command two languages), 人を操る.

Remember it 扌 (hand) → all of it done with the hands, on the strings.

この店みせは中古ちゅうこ品ひんを扱あつかっている。

This shop deals in second-hand goods.

Usage 扱う covers goods (取り扱い注意 = handle with care), topics, and people (子ども扱いする = to treat like a child).

Remember it 扌 (hand) + 及 (to reach) → whatever your hands reach out and deal with.

医者いしゃを志こころざして勉強べんきょうしている。

I'm studying with the aim of becoming a doctor.

Usage 志す = to set your heart on a path: 医者を志す, 文学を志す. The noun 志 (こころざし) is your ambition.

Remember it 士 above 心 (heart) → what the heart is set on.

彼かれらは会社かいしゃの乗のっ取とりを企くわだてた。

They plotted a takeover of the company.

Usage 企てる usually implies scheming: 反乱を企てる. Yet the same 企 in 企画 and 企業 is perfectly neutral.

Remember it 人 over 止 → a person up on tiptoe, looking ahead at what to attempt.

新あたらしい方法ほうほうを試こころみたが、うまくいかなかった。

I tried a new method, but it didn't work.

Usage 試みる = to attempt something new, a formal word; 試す is the everyday 'try it out'. The noun 試み = an attempt.

Remember it 試 (to test) + みる (to see) → test it and see what happens.

世界せかい記録きろくに挑いどむ。

He's taking on the world record.

Usage 挑む = to take on a challenge or an opponent: 難問に挑む, 試合に挑む. The noun is 挑戦.

Remember it 扌 (hand) + 兆 → putting your hands up to take something on.

二人ふたりは一位いちいを競きそっている。

The two of them are competing for first place.

Usage 競う = to compete in skill or speed, without hostility: 技を競う, 競い合う. 争う has real conflict in it.

Remember it Two figures standing side by side in the character — racing each other, not fighting.

兄弟きょうだいが遺産いさんをめぐって争あらそっている。

The siblings are fighting over the inheritance.

Usage 争う = to fight over something: 先を争う, 一位を争う, 裁判で争う. Harsher than 競う; the noun 戦争 = war.

Remember it A hand pulling from either side of one object — two parties, one prize.

電車でんしゃで席せきを譲ゆずった。

I gave up my seat on the train.

Usage 譲る = to yield or hand over: 席を譲る, 道を譲る, 会社を息子に譲る. The noun 譲歩 = a concession.

Remember it 言 (words) on the left → yielding is something you agree to, not something taken from you.

判断はんだんは現場げんばに委ゆだねる。

The decision is left to the people on the ground.

Usage 委ねる = to entrust a decision entirely to someone: 運命に身を委ねる. The same 委 as in 委員 (committee member).

Remember it 禾 (grain) + 女 → laying the harvest in someone else's hands.

友人ゆうじんに手紙てがみを託たくした。

I entrusted the letter to a friend.

Usage 託す = to entrust a thing or a hope to someone: 夢を託す, 未来を託す. Related: 委託 (consignment), 信託 (trust).

Remember it 言 (words) + 乇 → handing something over with a word of trust.

困こまったときは兄あにに頼たよる。

When I'm stuck, I rely on my older brother.

Usage 頼る = to rely on: 人に頼る, 地図に頼らずに歩く. The noun 頼り means a source of support.

Remember it The same kanji as 頼む (to ask) — asking and relying are one act in Japanese.

子こどもが母親ははおやに甘あまえている。

The child is being clingy with their mother.

Usage 甘える = leaning on someone's affection: 親に甘える. お言葉に甘えて = 'I'll take you up on your kind offer', a set polite phrase.

Remember it From 甘い (sweet) → sweetening yourself to someone who will indulge you.

学生がくせいたちはその先生せんせいを慕したっている。

The students look up to that teacher with real affection.

Usage 慕う = warm attachment and admiration for a person: 先生を慕う, 母を慕う. Literary in tone.

Remember it The heart radical sits underneath → the heart reaching out after someone.

子こどもの頃ころはパイロットに憧あこがれていた。

As a child I dreamed of being a pilot.

Usage 憧れる = to long for something out of reach: 都会に憧れる, 憧れの人 (the person you idolise).

Remember it 忄 (heart) + 童 (child) → a child's heart, gazing up at what it wants to become.

年上としうえの人ひとを敬うやまう気持きもちが大切たいせつだ。

Having respect for your elders matters.

Usage 敬う = to revere; a formal, written verb. 敬語 (honorific language) and 尊敬 (respect) grow from the same 敬.

Remember it The 敬 of 敬語 — the whole honorific system of Japanese stands on this one character.

恵めぐまれた環境かんきょうで育そだった。

I grew up in fortunate circumstances.

Usage You will meet it most in the passive: 恵まれる = to be blessed with (才能に恵まれる). 恵み = a blessing; 知恵 = wisdom.

Remember it 心 at the bottom → giving from the heart; 恵まれる is standing on the receiving end.

罪つみを償つぐなうために働はたらいている。

He is working to atone for his crime.

Usage 償う = to make up for a wrong, with money or with action: 罪を償う, 損害を償う. The noun 賠償 = compensation.

Remember it 亻 (person) + 賞 (payment) → paying back what you owe for the harm done.