The verbs that say how people judge, how things change and how one thing bears on another.
These verbs carry the argument of a sentence rather than its action, and most of them are more at home in writing and careful speech than in chat. They are best learned with the words they usually take, because the pairing is fixed in a way English does not prepare you for: you fulfil a role with 役割を果たす, live up to hopes with 期待に応える, achieve growth with 成長を遂げる. Watch the particle as well: 〜に関わる and 〜に携わる take に where English says “in”, and 〜と捉える means to see something as something.
The words
View
Verb (40)
悟るto realise; to see the truthVerbN2
彼の表情を見て、何かあったと悟った。One look at his face and I knew something had happened.
A realisation that comes all at once, often an unwelcome one.
察するto sense; to gather (without being told)VerbN2
彼女が何も言わなくても、気持ちは察することができた。Even though she said nothing, I could sense how she felt.
Reading what is left unsaid is expected in Japanese; お察しします is a formal word of sympathy.
顧みるto look back on; to take into accountVerbN2
彼は家庭を顧みずに働き続けた。He went on working without a thought for his family.
Often in the negative: 〜を顧みず, with no regard for.
案じるto be anxious aboutVerbN2
遠くに住む両親の健康を案じている。I worry about the health of my parents, who live far away.
A formal 心配する.
見込むto anticipate; to allow forVerbN2
渋滞を見込んで、早めに家を出た。Allowing for traffic, I left home early.
The noun 見込み is a prospect or an estimate.
見通すto foresee; to see aheadVerbN2
十年先を見通して、計画を立てる必要がある。We need to plan with ten years ahead in view.
The noun 見通し is an outlook.
捉えるto grasp; to see (as)VerbN2
失敗を成長のチャンスと捉えるようにしている。I try to see failure as a chance to grow.
Of meaning and viewpoint: 〜と捉える, to see something as; also to catch a moment or a target.
見出すto find; to discoverVerbN2
彼は新しい仕事に生きがいを見出した。He found a purpose in life in his new job.
A written 見つける, mostly of meaning, value or a way out.
決めつけるto jump to conclusions; to labelVerbN2
話も聞かずに、彼が悪いと決めつけるのはおかしい。It is not right to decide he is to blame without even hearing him out.
Always critical: deciding before the facts are in.
割り切るto take a practical view; to accept as it isVerbN2
これも仕事だと割り切って、嫌な作業も片付けた。Telling myself it was all part of the job, I got the unpleasant tasks done too.
To set feelings aside; 割り切れない is to be left with mixed feelings.
志すto aspire to; to set one’s heart onVerbN2
彼女は高校のころから医者を志していた。She had set her heart on becoming a doctor since high school.
練るto work out; to polish (a plan)VerbN2
試合の前に、みんなで作戦を練った。Before the match we worked out our tactics together.
Literally to knead; of plans and ideas worked over until they hold.
改めるto change; to put rightVerbN2
夜更かしの習慣を改めることにした。I have decided to break my habit of staying up late.
To change for the better or correct something; the adverb 改めて means again, anew.
改まるto be renewed; to become formalVerbN2
年が改まって、気持ちも新たになった。With the new year, I feel like a new person too.
Also 改まった場, a formal occasion.
薄れるto fadeVerbN2
時間が経つにつれて、その日の記憶も薄れていった。As time went by, the memory of that day faded.
Of memories, interest and colour.
廃れるto go out of use; to die outVerbN2
昔ながらの祭りが、少しずつ廃れつつある。Traditional festivals are gradually dying out.
揺らぐto waver; to be shakenVerbN2
その一言で、彼への信頼が揺らいだ。That one remark shook my trust in him.
Of trust, resolve and foundations rather than of objects.
覆すto overturn; to reverseVerbN2
新しい発見が、それまでの常識を覆した。The new discovery overturned what everyone had taken for granted.
Of a verdict, a theory or a lead in a game.
和らぐto ease; to softenVerbN2
薬を飲んだら、痛みが少し和らいだ。After I took the medicine, the pain eased a little.
The transitive partner is 和らげる.
深まるto deepenVerbN2
一緒に旅行をして、二人の友情が深まった。Travelling together deepened their friendship.
Also 秋が深まる, as autumn draws on.
転じるto turn; to shiftVerbN2
彼は営業から企画の仕事に転じた。He moved from sales to planning.
Formal; also of a trend that reverses.
定まるto become settled; to be fixedVerbN2
目標が定まらないまま、時間だけが過ぎていく。Time slips by while I still have no clear goal.
The intransitive partner of 定める.
取り戻すto regain; to make up forVerbN2
休んだ分を取り戻そうと、毎晩遅くまで勉強した。I studied late every night to make up for the time I had missed.
関わるto be involved in; to concernVerbN2
人の命に関わる仕事がしたい。I want to do work that deals with matters of life and death.
命に関わる also means life-threatening.
携わるto be engaged in; to work onVerbN2
父は長年、橋の設計に携わってきた。My father has worked on bridge design for many years.
Formal: to be part of a project or a field.
絡むto be tangled up; to be involvedVerbN2
この事件には、お金の問題が絡んでいるらしい。It seems money is tangled up in this case.
Literally of threads and cords; 酔って絡む is to pester someone when drunk.
結びつくto be linked; to lead toVerbN2
毎日の小さな努力が、大きな成果に結びついた。Small daily efforts led to a big result.
劣るto be inferiorVerbN2
この安いカメラも、性能は高いものに劣らない。This cheap camera performs every bit as well as expensive ones.
Often 〜に劣らない, no worse than.
勝るto surpass; to be better thanVerbN2
経験に勝る先生はないと、祖父はよく言っていた。My grandfather often said there is no better teacher than experience.
Mostly in 〜に勝るものはない; 勝つ is to win.
逆らうto go against; to defyVerbN2
子供のころは、親に逆らってばかりいた。As a child I was forever defying my parents.
Also 流れに逆らう, to go against the current.
託すto entrustVerbN2
彼は自分の夢を息子に託した。He entrusted his dream to his son.
妨げるto hinder; to disturbVerbN2
工事の音に睡眠を妨げられている。The noise of the building work keeps disturbing my sleep.
押し付けるto force (on someone); to pressVerbN2
自分の考えを人に押し付けないでほしい。Please do not force your own ideas on other people.
Also of work: 仕事を押し付ける, to offload a job on someone.
応えるto respond to; to live up toVerbN2
期待に応えられるよう、全力で頑張ります。I will do my very best to live up to your expectations.
Written 応える for meeting a hope or a request; 答える is answering a question.
遂げるto accomplish; to achieveVerbN2
この町は、短い間に大きな発展を遂げた。This town developed enormously in a short time.
With change, growth or a wish: 成長を遂げる.
果たすto fulfil; to carry outVerbN2
約束を果たすまで、国には帰らない。I will not go home until I have kept my promise.
Also 役割を果たす, to play a part.
成り立つto consist of; to hold; to be viableVerbN2
この店は、常連の客のおかげで成り立っている。This shop stays in business thanks to its regulars.
〜から成り立つ, to consist of; also of an argument that holds.
生かすto make good use ofVerbN2
留学の経験を仕事に生かしたい。I want to put my experience of studying abroad to use at work.
引き起こすto cause; to bring aboutVerbN2
小さな誤解が、大きなトラブルを引き起こした。A small misunderstanding caused a lot of trouble.
Mostly of something unwelcome: an accident, a row, a disease.
受け止めるto take in; to acceptVerbN2
先生の厳しい意見を、素直に受け止めた。I took my teacher’s harsh comments to heart without arguing.
Of criticism, news or feelings that have to be faced.
This list belongs to Thinking and arguing — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.