動詞・行為 II

約束やくそくを果はたすことができた。

I managed to keep my promise.

Usage 果たす = to carry a duty or promise through to the end: 責任を果たす, 役割を果たす, 目的を果たす.

Remember it 果 (fruit) → carrying something through until it bears fruit.

長年ながねんの夢ゆめを遂とげた。

He achieved a lifelong dream.

Usage 遂げる = to accomplish something big after real effort: 目的を遂げる, 成長を遂げる. Formal in tone.

Remember it Its relatives give it away: 遂行 (carrying out) and 未遂 (attempted but not completed, as in 殺人未遂).

話はなし合あいは深夜しんやに至いたった。

The discussion went on into the small hours.

Usage 至る = to reach a point or a state: 今に至るまで (up to the present), 至る所 (everywhere). 至急 (urgent) uses the same 至.

Remember it The character draws an arrow reaching the ground — a picture of arrival.

万全ばんぜんの準備じゅんびで試合しあいに臨のぞむ。

We go into the match fully prepared.

Usage 臨む = to face an important occasion: 試験に臨む, 会議に臨む. Also to overlook: 海に臨む部屋.

Remember it Don't confuse it with 望む (to wish for): 臨む is standing before the thing; 望む is gazing at it from afar.

要求ようきゅうに応おうじることはできない。

We cannot meet that demand.

Usage 応じる = to respond or comply: 求めに応じる. ～に応じて = in accordance with: 収入に応じて (according to income).

Remember it The 応 of 応答 and 対応 — answering whatever came at you.

皆みなさんの期待きたいに応こたえたい。

I want to live up to everyone's expectations.

Usage 応える = to live up to something, or to take a toll: 寒さが応える (the cold really gets to me). Not the same as 答える (to answer).

Remember it 応じる complies with a request; 応える rises to an expectation.

親おやに逆さからってこの道みちを選えらんだ。

I went against my parents and chose this path.

Usage 逆らう = to go against: 流れに逆らう (against the current), 命令に逆らう, 時代に逆らう.

Remember it 逆 (reverse) → moving the opposite way to everyone else.

医師いしの指示しじに従したがってください。

Please follow the doctor's instructions.

Usage 従う = to obey or go along with: ルールに従う. ～に従って means 'as one thing proceeds': 年を取るに従って.

Remember it 彳 (to go) with two small figures behind it — walking along in line.

彼かれは仲間なかまの信頼しんらいに背そむいた。

He betrayed his friends' trust.

Usage 背く = to turn your back on a duty, a trust or an order: 親の期待に背く, 命令に背く.

Remember it 背 is the back — 背く is literally turning your back on it.

その行為こういは規則きそくに反はんする。

That conduct is against the rules.

Usage 反する = to run counter to: 予想に反して (contrary to expectations), 事実に反する. Written style.

Remember it 反 (opposite) + する → to be the opposite of what was laid down.

この島しまはどの国くににも属ぞくしていない。

This island belongs to no country.

Usage 属する = to belong to a group or category: 会社に属する. The noun 所属 (affiliation) is the form you'll meet most.

Remember it The 属 of 所属 — the group your name sits under.

女性じょせいが社員しゃいんの半分はんぶんを占しめている。

Women make up half of the staff.

Usage 占める = to occupy a share or a position: 過半数を占める, 重要な位置を占める.

Remember it One character, two lives: 占める takes a share; 占う (うらなう) tells your fortune.

条件じょうけんを満みたせば申もうし込こめる。

If you meet the conditions, you can apply.

Usage 満たす = to fill, or to satisfy a requirement: 条件を満たす, 心を満たす. Its intransitive partner is 満ちる.

Remember it The 満 of 満員 and 満車 — filled right up to the line.

この計画けいかくは現実げんじつ性せいを欠かいている。

This plan lacks realism.

Usage 欠く = to lack something essential: 注意を欠く, 欠かせない (indispensable). The noun 欠点 = a flaw.

Remember it 欠 draws a person with their mouth open — a gap where something should be.

雪ゆきが山やまを白しろく覆おおっている。

Snow covers the mountain in white.

Usage 覆う = to cover over: 顔を覆う, 雲に覆われる. The passive 覆われる is the commonest form.

Remember it 覀 sits on top like a lid → something laid over the whole surface.

最高さいこう裁判所さいばんしょが判決はんけつを覆くつがえした。

The Supreme Court overturned the ruling.

Usage 覆す = to overturn a decision, a theory or an expectation: 常識を覆す, 予想を覆す.

Remember it 覆う lays a lid over it; 覆す flips the whole thing upside down.

千円せんえん札さつを崩くずしてもらえますか。

Could you break a thousand-yen note for me?

Usage 崩す = to break something down: 体調を崩す (to fall ill), 山を崩す, お金を崩す (to get change).

Remember it 山 (mountain) sits on top → a mountain giving way. 体調を崩す is your health sliding.

大雨おおあめで崖がけが崩くずれた。

Heavy rain brought the cliff down.

Usage 崩れる is the intransitive partner of 崩す: 天気が崩れる (the weather turns), バランスが崩れる.

Remember it 崩す you do; 崩れる simply happens. Same mountain, different direction.

両者りょうしゃの間あいだに誤解ごかいが生しょうじた。

A misunderstanding arose between the two of them.

Usage 生じる = for something to arise, usually a problem: 問題が生じる, 差が生じる. Formal; 起こる is the everyday word.

Remember it 生 (to be born) → the problem is born out of the situation.

鐘かねの音おとが谷たにに響ひびいた。

The sound of the bell echoed through the valley.

Usage 響く = to resound, and to have an effect: 心に響く (to move you), 家計に響く (to hit the household budget).

Remember it 音 (sound) at the bottom → sound travelling out and coming back to you.

両国りょうこくは条約じょうやくを結むすんだ。

The two countries concluded a treaty.

Usage 結ぶ = to tie (靴ひもを結ぶ) and to conclude an agreement (契約を結ぶ). The noun 結果 shares the character.

Remember it 糸 (thread) → tying a thread, whether round a shoe or between two nations.

新聞しんぶんをひもで縛しばって出だす。

I tie the newspapers up with string and put them out.

Usage 縛る = to bind tightly, in fact or in effect: 時間に縛られる (tied down by the clock), 規則で縛る.

Remember it 糸 (thread) again — but 結ぶ ties neatly, while 縛る ties you down.

難むずかしい問題もんだいをやっと解といた。

I finally solved the difficult problem.

Usage 解く = to undo or to solve: 問題を解く, 誤解を解く (to clear up a misunderstanding). Read ほどく for untying knots.

Remember it 角 (horn) + 刀 (knife) + 牛 (ox) → taking the thing apart piece by piece.

医者いしゃに言いわれて酒さけを断たった。

On the doctor's advice, I gave up drinking.

Usage 断つ = to cut off for good: 縁を断つ (to cut ties), 連絡を断つ. The same kanji gives 断る (to refuse).

Remember it The 断 of 判断 and 断水 — one clean cut that ends the flow.

この村むらでは祭まつりが絶たえてしまった。

The festival has died out in this village.

Usage 絶える = to cease entirely: 人通りが絶える. Related: 絶滅 (extinction), 絶えず (constantly, without a break).

Remember it 糸 (thread) → the thread finally snapping for good.

話はなしは尽つきることがなかった。

The conversation never ran dry.

Usage 尽きる = to run out: 体力が尽きる, ネタが尽きる. Its transitive partner is 尽くす.

Remember it The last drop used up. 尽きる happens to you; 尽くす is what you do.

彼女かのじょは家族かぞくのために尽つくしている。

She gives everything for her family.

Usage 尽くす = to devote yourself, or to do all there is to do: 手を尽くす, 最善を尽くす (to do one's best).

Remember it 尽きる is running out; 尽くす is pouring yourself out until you do.

彼かれはその道みちを極きわめた職人しょくにんだ。

He is a craftsman who has mastered his trade.

Usage 極める = to take something to its limit: 頂上を極める, 困難を極める (to be extremely difficult). 極めて = extremely.

Remember it The 極 of 北極, the North Pole — going all the way to the end point.

締しめ切きりが迫せまっている。

The deadline is closing in.

Usage 迫る = to draw near, and to press someone: 決断を迫る (to press for a decision), 危険が迫る.

Remember it 辶 (movement) → something coming closer step by step, until it is right in front of you.

会社かいしゃを裁判所さいばんしょに訴うったえた。

He took the company to court.

Usage 訴える = to sue, and to appeal to: 世論に訴える, 痛みを訴える (to complain of pain). The noun 訴訟 = a lawsuit.

Remember it 言 (words) → taking your words to someone with the power to act on them.

彼かれは新あたらしい説せつを唱となえた。

He put forward a new theory.

Usage 唱える = to advocate a view, and to chant: お経を唱える, 呪文を唱える. The noun 合唱 = chorus.

Remember it 口 (mouth) + 昌 → saying it out loud, whether it is a theory or a sutra.

会社かいしゃは新あたらしい目標もくひょうを掲かかげた。

The company set out a new goal.

Usage 掲げる = to hoist a flag, and to put forward a slogan or an aim: 旗を掲げる, 理想を掲げる. 掲示板 = a notice board.

Remember it 扌 (hand) → holding it up high where everyone can see it.

大学だいがくが名誉めいよ博士はかせの学位がくいを授さずけた。

The university conferred an honorary doctorate.

Usage 授ける = to grant from above — a degree, a title, knowledge: 学位を授ける, 知恵を授ける. 授業 (a class) shares the character.

Remember it 扌 (hand) → something handed down from the higher hand.

二人ふたりは子こどもを授さずかった。

The couple were blessed with a child.

Usage 授かる is the receiving side: 子どもを授かる is the warm, traditional way to say a baby is on the way.

Remember it 授ける gives from above; 授かる receives from above. One kanji, two directions.

父ちちの店みせを受うけ継ついだ。

I took over my father's shop.

Usage 受け継ぐ = to inherit and carry on — a business, a tradition, someone's wishes: 伝統を受け継ぐ.

Remember it 受ける (to receive) + 継ぐ (to continue) → take it on, then keep it going.

返事へんじがなければ同意どういしたと見みなす。

If there is no reply, we will treat it as consent.

Usage 見なす = to treat as, whether or not it is really so — common in legal and business writing: ～と見なされる.

Remember it 見る (to see) + なす (to make it so) → seeing it as something, and acting on that.

本物ほんものかどうか見極みきわめるのは難むずかしい。

It's hard to tell whether it's genuine.

Usage 見極める = to look until you know for certain: 状況を見極める, タイミングを見極める.

Remember it 見る + 極める (to go to the limit) → looking all the way to the far end of the matter.

台風たいふうのため運転うんてんを見合みあわせている。

Services are suspended because of the typhoon.

Usage 運転を見合わせる is the standard announcement when trains stop. It also means to exchange glances: 顔を見合わせる.

Remember it Not cancelled, only held: 見合わせる is waiting to see before going on.

予約よやくを取とり消けしたい。

I'd like to cancel my reservation.

Usage 取り消す = to cancel or retract something you had set: 発言を取り消す (to take back a remark). The noun is 取り消し.

Remember it 取る (to take) + 消す (to erase) → take it back and rub it out.

電池でんちを新あたらしいのと取とり替かえた。

I replaced the battery with a new one.

Usage 取り替える = to swap one thing for another: 部品を取り替える. 交換する is the more formal equivalent.

Remember it 取る (to take) + 替える (to swap) → the old one out, the new one in.